Noah Dobson vividly remembers how he felt during his first training camp in 2018 as a top prospect, stepping into a room of NHL veterans and faced with the pressure of high expectations. Now entering his fifth NHL season, he’s on the other side of that equation, and is looking to help the young defensemen who are looking up to him.
“It’s just about making them feel more comfortable and allowing them to settle in,” Dobson said. “They all have good heads on their shoulders. They know what to do, but just making them feel comfortable here is the main thing. I was in that same position coming to camp at 18.”
Drafted 12th overall in the first round of the 2018 NHL Draft, Dobson was fast-tracked for the Islanders in making his NHL debut on Oct. 8, 2019. Through the process of earning a consistent roster spot with the Islanders, Dobson grew under the veteran influences of former Islander defensemen Johnny Boychuk, Andy Greene and Zdeno Chara. His teammates noticed the impact and presence Dobson now has because of the defenseman he’s learned from.
“I think it all started with [Greene] and [Chara],” Casey Cizikas said. “Those guys took [Dobson] under his wing and taught him what it's like to be to be a pro and how to treat the guys that are younger. I’ve seen him replicate what he was taught from those guys, and it's nice to see he's come a long way in such a short period of time. I'm excited to see what he does this year.”