Canadiens' key D-man makes his expectations from Noah Dobson crystal clear- "Should be adding a lot for us" 

The Montreal Canadiens made a big move in June when they brought in Noah Dobson from the New York Islanders. They signed him to an eight-year $76 million contract, making it clear how important he was to their plans. For Dobson, it marks the start of a new chapter with a team looking to take steps forward.

Jayden Struble, one of Montreal’s young defensemen, discussed what Dobson brings.

“He's super skilled defenseman," Struble said on Wednesday. 'He should be adding a lot for us. A lot of offence. His defensive game gets slept on too. He's a good player. He's going to help us out. Whenever you're able to add a guy like that, it's pretty exciting.”

Dobson has six seasons of NHL experience, all with the Islanders. He has established himself as a puck-moving defenseman who can contribute on the power play and play heavy minutes. Dobson's best year was in 2023-24, when he scored 70 points in 79 games. He finished with 39 points in 71 games last season, but he remains a reliable player who can shape a team’s attack from the blue line.

The move to Montreal comes with some familiarity for Dobson. He spoke about knowing Nick Suzuki through Hockey Canada and playing with Mike Matheson at the world championships.

“Nothing but great things have been said about the organization, the group of guys they have in the locker room, and obviously just the opportunity to be a Canadien is something you don’t take lightly,” Dobson said in June, via NHL.com. “As a kid in Canada growing up, it’s a dream come true. So, just extremely excited and honored for the opportunity.”

Stu Cowan talked about Noah Dobson's role in Canadiens' lineup

Stu Cowan talked about Noah Dobson’s impact, and discussed his role with the Habs.

"I mean, it's gonna reduce the ice time for Mike Matheson a little bit," Cowan said on Aug. 8, via "The Sick Podcast with Tony Marinaro." "It's gonna reduce the ice time for everybody. He's gonna eat up a lot of minutes (and) make it a little bit easier on the other guys he's playing with."

Cowan expects Dobson to start on Montreal’s top D-man line with Kaiden Guhle. He added the two could be effective for the team’s future, as they both have size and offensive ability. Guhle also brings a physical style to the pairing, and Cowan believes that's what makes the duo strong.