Noah Dobson & the Norris Trophy Race
Plus, how similar are Lou Lamoriello and Brad Treliving?
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Welcome to the THW New York Islanders Substack newsletter, with all the latest from our team of Islanders writers.
In today’s edition, we look at Noah Dobson’s chances of winning this season’s Norris Trophy and compare Islanders GM Lou Lamoriello to Toronto Maple Leafs GM Brad Treliving.
Finally, we look at John Tavares’ path to 1,000 points.
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Now, on to the good stuff…
Islanders’ Dobson Faces Tough Road To The Norris Trophy
December 13, 2023 by Mike Fink
The New York Islanders have found a star two-way defenseman in Noah Dobson, something every team that wins the Stanley Cup needs. Through 27 games played, he’s scored five goals, and his 22 assists and 27 points are tied for fourth-most among defensemen this season. On top of that, with 2.1 defensive point shares, 67 blocked shots, and averaging 25:14 ice time, he’s made his mark as one of the most complete, well-rounded defensemen in the NHL.
Dobson not only leads an Islanders’ defense that has been ravaged by injuries but he’s played a pivotal role in the team’s surge to the top of the standings. The Islanders at 13-7-7 are in second place in the Metropolitan Division and have only lost one of their last five games with Dobson’s impact allowing them to look like one of the best teams in the Eastern Conference.
His remarkable play has put him in the Norris Trophy conversation, something that was a far-fetched idea before the season started. At this rate, he’ll end the season as a finalist and possibly win the award, something that has only happened once in Islanders’ history, with Dennis Potvin winning in 1979. That said, Dobson has a lot more obstacles standing in his way compared to Potvin, and a path will be difficult for him to end the season with the Norris.
Lamoriello vs. Treliving: Similar Needs But Different Approaches
December 12, 2023 by Mike Fink
The New York Islanders hosted the Toronto Maple Leafs on Dec. 11 in a memorable game for a lot of reasons. John Tavares earned his 1000th-career point and the Islanders came away with a 4-3 overtime victory with Mathew Barzal finding Bo Horvat on the rush. The game itself spoke volumes to how both teams are playing great hockey.
The Islanders and Maple Leafs both have great offenses, led by star power in the top six. Both teams also have depth in all three units and despite defensive woes, they both look to remain near the top of the Eastern Conference throughout the season.
The two general managers (GMs) — Lou Lamoriello for the Islanders and and Brad Treliving for the Maple Leafs — have opposite styles and think differently when it comes to team building, yet both have teams ready to make a run at the Cup and they will both address similar needs in the coming months to rough out their rosters.
Looking Back at John Tavares’ Journey to 1,000 Career NHL Points
December 12, 2023 by Spencer Lazary
John Tavares, the captain of his hometown Toronto Maple Leafs, was the first overall pick in the 2009 NHL Draft and now joins the 1,000-point club. How did he reach that mark?