The recent trade of defenseman Noah Dobson from the New York Islanders to the Montreal Canadiens has sent ripples throughout the NHL. While Islanders fans are undoubtedly disappointed to see a promising young talent depart, former Islander Cal Clutterbuck has offered some insight into the reasoning behind the move.

Speaking on the "Spittin' Chiclets" podcast, Clutterbuck, who played several seasons with Dobson in New York, suggested that contract negotiations played a significant role in the trade. According to Clutterbuck, the Islanders and Dobson's representatives were unable to agree on a contract extension that satisfied both sides. He speculated that the sticking point was likely the annual average value (AAV) of the contract, estimating that Dobson's camp was likely seeking a deal in the "sevens," meaning around $7 million per year.

Ultimately, Dobson signed an eight-year, $76 million deal with the Canadiens, carrying a $9.5 million cap hit per season. This figure is considerably higher than what Clutterbuck believed the Islanders were willing to offer. "I think from a general manager's perspective, there's a number," Clutterbuck said. "I think from Noah's perspective, there's a number. And that always ends up happening is the number in the middle.".

While the financial aspect appears to be the primary driver of the trade, Clutterbuck also touched on Dobson's development as a player. He acknowledged that Dobson had made significant strides in his defensive game, particularly in the 2024-25 season. "He's actually the one thing that I might have been a little bit gun shy with Noah is just his ability to, like, defend hard and, like, just be strong enough to contain some of the best players," Clutterbuck said. "And he showed flashes of it, but he wasn't consistent with it. And I think this year, he actually took the mentality of, like he did, sacrifice a lot of his offensive side to really go out and show people that he could be that guy.”.

Despite these improvements, it's possible that the Islanders' management felt that Dobson's overall value didn't align with his contract demands. The team also has a promising prospect pool, including Matthew Schaefer, which may have influenced their decision to move forward without Dobson.

The Islanders received left winger Emil Heineman, the 16th overall pick (Victor Eklund), and the 17th overall pick (Kashawn Aitcheson) in the 2025 NHL Entry Draft in return for Dobson. This influx of new talent and draft capital will allow the Islanders to retool their roster and address other needs.

While losing a player of Dobson's caliber is never easy, the Islanders clearly felt that the long-term benefits of the trade outweighed the immediate loss. As Clutterbuck noted, Dobson is "a great kid who loves the game" and has the potential to continue improving. However, in the business of hockey, difficult decisions must be made, and the Islanders ultimately decided that parting ways with Dobson was in the best interest of the team. Only time will tell if this decision proves to be the right one.