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The Seattle Kraken have hired Lane Lambert as the third head coach in franchise history. Lane Lambert is getting his second chance after a tough run with an aging New York Islanders core. He, along with new general manager Jason Botterill, has to turn this roster around quickly to become playoff competitive. The Kraken should be looking to make a trade this offseason, and Islanders defenseman Noah Dobson could be the perfect fit.
Dobson is 25 years old and will be a restricted free agent on July 1. The Islanders took him with the 12th overall pick in 2018, and he made his debut in 2019-20. After Barry Trotz was fired, Lambert took over after serving as an assistant for four years. While it was a short run for him behind New York's bench, he got the best out of Dobson. The Kraken should take advantage of that relationship and make a trade for Dobson.
The Kraken could sign Dobson to an offer sheet, which the Islanders would have the opportunity to match. But recent reports from Elliotte Friedman indicate that the Islanders are “testing the market” on Dobson. So, given the option to get some picks back for Dobson, general manager Mathieu Darche might take it. That would be especially true if the Islanders could extract a first-round pick in 2026 with a cap hit over $4.68 million.
That is the reason why the Kraken are more likely to trade for Dobson than sign him to an offer sheet. Those compensation tiers get expensive quickly, and the defenseman may demand a high salary. They could include players or prospects in a trade and keep their draft picks.
What makes Dobson a great fit for Lambert's system? His best year came with Lambert behind the bench, so they should bet on that relationship
The Kraken should build their team around their coach
Lambert was the Islanders' coach for all of 2022-23 and 45 games of the following season. That 2023-24 season is the best of Dobson's career by far, with 60 assists and 70 points. 45 of those points came in the 45 games Lambert coached, with only 25 coming in the 37 that Patrick Roy coached. And the full year with Lambert was solid as well, with 49 points in 78 games.
In terms of their current blue line, Dobson would provide a change of pace from their top pair of Vince Dunn and Adam Larsson. They could also trade Jamie Oleksiak away when they get Dobson. He is entering the final year of his contract, and he is much older than Dobson at 32 years old. Even though Dobson is righty and Oleksiak is lefty, it could be a one-in, one-out situation.
Dobson has struggled as a power-play quarterback with the Islanders, which he may not have to do with the Kraken. Dunn has manned that unit in the past, and they were 6.4% better on the man advantage than New York. They could develop him as their second option and hope he becomes their top option in the future. The Islanders have tried to make Dobson their top option immediately, but the Kraken have time to wait.
Building around Lambert is the smart move because the Islanders did not do that. They expected Lambert to pick up where Trotz left off, which he did not. Getting players that fit his system sets him up for success, which Seattle did not do with Dan Bylsma. The Kraken need to have success to keep fans' attention if and when the SuperSonics come back. If they believe Lambert is the guy to bring them to the playoffs, they must play to his strengths.
The Kraken pick eighth in the NHL Entry Draft, which begins on Friday.
