If the Islanders are keen on trading star defenseman Noah Dobson, Mathieu Darche is not tipping his hand.
Just days before the 2025 NHL Draft, when the chances of a potential swap of the 25-year-old would be at their highest, the new general manager implored that he wants to sign all of his restricted free agents, including Dobson.
“I’m still trying to sign all of our restricted free agents,” Darche said on Tuesday, referencing the group that also features defenseman Alexander Romanov along with forwards Simon Holmstrom and Maxim Tsyplakov. “I’ve been talking with the agents. It’s just part of the process. Sometimes it takes time, sometimes it happens quick.
“With all four of the RFAs, it’s been a very cordial negotiation. We’re just going through the process. We have our ideas of where the contracts will be and we’re working through it.”
The Islanders have until June 30 to send a qualifying offer to Dobson. If they don’t, he becomes an unrestricted free agent and could sign for any team. Should the Islanders come up with a qualifying offer and Dobson decline, teams could submit offer sheets in an attempt to pry him from New York, though the Islanders would have a chance to match any offer.
If Darche is as interested as he suggested on Tuesday about trading up to get a second top-10 pick at the draft to go with his No. 1 overall pick on Friday night, Dobson would certainly be enough of a headliner in any package to get it even after his points total in dwindled from 70 in 2023-24 to 39 this season.
Recent reports have indicated that the Islanders are “quietly” shopping Dobson, with interest coming from the Boston Bruins and Detroit Red Wings. The Bruins pick seventh overall on Friday night while the Red Wings are tabbed to go at No. 13.
