Overview
- Restricted free agent Noah Dobson agreed to an eight-year, $76 million extension and was traded to Montreal on June 27 under a sign-and-trade structure.
- New York acquired the Canadiens’ 16th and 17th overall selections in the 2025 draft along with 23-year-old left winger Emil Heineman.
- The Islanders used the first overall pick on defenseman Matthew Schaefer and now hold three first-round choices, positioning them to pursue top prospects like Long Island native James Hagens.
- General manager Mathieu Darche cleared cap space by moving Dobson’s potential $11 million ask and reinforced a youth-driven rebuild with additional draft assets.
- Montreal immediately slots Dobson onto its top defensive pairing as it shifts from rebuilding toward sustained playoff contention.