Noah Dobson switches agents but likely for contract negotiations and not a trade
Sportsnet: Elliotte Friedman and Kyle Bukauskas on 32 Thoughts: The Podcast, We Are Loving This episode on New York Islanders defenseman Noah Dobson switching agents, and he’s likely not available for trade as there would be a lot more talk about it if he were to be available. The switch is likely to do with preping for his contract negotiations with the Islanders.
** NHLRumors.com transcription
Bukauskas: “But interesting, a couple of days ago, the news about Noah Dobson switching agents and now with Judd Moldaver and Olivier Fortier at Wasserman. And as you have pointed out in the past, we see these cases when a player switches an agent, typically, it’s because he’s not exactly thrilled with however, his situation is unfolding.”
Friedman: “Yeah, so I looked into this a little bit more, and I stand by something I said on the radio with (Matt) Marchese and (Mike) Futa on Wednesday, and that is that I do not believe this is about a trade.”
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Bukauskas: “You don’t?”
Friedman: “No. I do not think that Dobson wants to be traded. And even though, as I’ve said, I think it’s possible that he was discussed in one specific case by the Islanders, I do not think it is about that at all.
You know, number one, he’s not widely available. There’s too many teams that would be all over the Islanders. What do you want for this guy if he was available? I just don’t think.
Like one thing I learned this week is that Lou Lamoriello apparently never uses that trade chat. He never puts people on it. A couple guys told me, because of nosy reporters like you, he just doesn’t.”
Bukauskas: “He’s like a family member that never contributes to the the group chat.”
Friedman: “He just, he just doesn’t like his business being out that publicly, right? So, but I just think if a guy like Dobson was widely available, there’s no way they could keep it quiet. And that’s, that’s not the case.
And again, I don’t believe Dobson is demanding a trader wants to be out of the Islanders. I don’t believe that.
So what is it about? And just from talking to, just around the gossip is, I think it’s, it’s preparation for negotiating his next contract. I think that’s what this is about. Dobson, contract wise, his contract is up after this year, the current one. He’s not unrestricted. He’s restricted with arbitration rights.
So there is time here. There’s not a rush on it. There’s time here to sort this out, but it’s going to be interesting. Like, How does everybody feel here? Do they do a long-term extension now? Does he go to arbitration? You know, how does he feel? How does everybody feel?
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It’s not a contract that has to be done right away. But I do think that what this is about, based on what people are telling me, is it’s, it’s preparation for his next contract, and what path both he and the Islanders decide to take.
But again, I stress I’m hearing nothing that says that Dobson is widely available, and I’m also hearing nothing that says he wants out of the Island.”
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