The Montreal Canadiens made one of the biggest moves on Draft Day when they traded two first-round draft picks to the New York Islanders for defenseman Noah Dobson. The move is expected to give the Canadiens a major upgrade on the blue line with the acquisition of one of the best young defensemen in the league.

The Canadiens took a major step up the ladder this season as they made the playoffs for the first time since the Covid season of 2020-21. They dropped their first-round series to the Washington Capitals in five games. Picking up a solid defenseman should help head coach Martin St. Louis' team improve its ability to close down opposing offenses and keep them from dominating.

A big move on defense raises the question of what's next for the Habs. While the Canadiens have some notable talent on offense, it seems that their next move should be a player who can put the puck in the net.

The Dallas Stars appear to be willing to trade forward Jason Robertson, and there's no reason the Canadiens should not be first in line for his services. Robertson is a young and gifted scorer, and he would provide an upgrade for any team that found itself in need of a scorer.

Robertson has put impressive numbers on the board

New York Islanders defenseman Noah Dobson (8) skates with the puck during the third period against the Washington Capitals at UBS Arena.
Mandatory Credit: John Jones-Imagn Images

Robertson has proven to be one of the most consistent offensive forces in the league. After scoring 17 goals as a rookie in 2020-21, Robertson came into his own the following season.

He scored 41 goals and added 38 assists for the Stars, and he led the league with 11 game-winning goals.

Robertson continued to improve in 2022-23 when he was selected for the All-Star Game. He scored a career-high 46 goals and he complemented that total with 63 assists. Robertson finished a remarkable plus-37 while having the best season of his career.

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He had a bit of a downturn in 2023-24 with 29 goals and 51 assists, but he did rebound with 35 goals and 80 points last season.

Canadiens have had impressive growth and are on the verge of becoming dynamic

The Canadiens have written much of the history of the NHL, but they have not been able to add to their total of 23 Stanley Cups since the 1993 playoffs.

While the team surged in the second half of the season and earned their spot in the postseason, the Canadiens had failed to make the playoffs in their previous three seasons.

St. Louis appears to have an excellent chance to lead a more impressive team in the upcoming season.

The Canadiens have one of the more dangerous top lines in the NHL with Nick Suzuki centering for Cole Caufield and Juraj Slafkovsky. The second line of center Jake Evans along with wingers Alex Newhook and Ivan Demidov has the potential to cause quite a few problems for Atlantic Division and other Eastern Conference opponents.

If the Canadiens can acquire Robertson, he could fit in on either of the top two lines.

A first line of Suzuki, Caufield and Robertson would appear to be a game-changing unit that could dominate for the Canadiens.

There is little doubt that the Stars would want a package that includes at least one of the Canadiens' top young players along with draft prospects. It could be worth it if the Canadiens know they are moving forward with one of the top young scorers in the NHL.