When news came out that defenseman Noah Dobson didn’t want to re-sign with the New York Islanders after a contract standoff, it put newly hired general manager Mathieu Darche in a tough spot. Dobson had a 70-point 2023-24 season, but in the 2024-25 campaign, he only had 39 points. Dobson wanted over $10 million a year, and after a dip in his production, Darche wasn’t willing to commit to the term he wanted, nor the money. 

So, the saga finally ended when on the day of the 2025 NHL Draft, Dobson was traded to the Montreal Canadiens. The Canadiens had two first-round picks that day, at 16th and 17th overall, which they both sent over, along with Emil Heineman. The 16th and 17th picks turned into Kashawn Aitcheson and Victor Eklund. 

Heineman, drafted in the second round in the 2020 NHL Draft by the Florida Panthers, was viewed as a “throw-in” piece in the Dobson trade when he came over to the Islanders. It wasn’t the first time Heineman was traded, as he was dealt two times before in the Sam Bennett deal (Panthers to Calgary Flames) and the Tyler Toffoli trade (Flames to Canadiens). He was then traded for a third time from the Canadiens to the Islanders, where Heineman would spend last season. 

Heineman Could Have a Big Year 

Heineman played his first full 82-game campaign with New York last season, and he adjusted fairly well. Heineman had 22 goals and nine assists for 31 points in those 82 games last season, which put him third on the team, right behind captain Bo Horvat, who had 31, and Matthew Schaefer, who had 23. 

Heineman went into this season with high hopes, looking to build off of what he had in the last campaign, and he showed it off against the Toronto Maple Leafs at Scotiabank Arena in the Islanders’ season opener. In a game where the Islanders had little to no offense, Heineman potted a short-handed goal late into the third period, scoring their first goal of the season. New York didn’t have a lot of offense that game, but his speed cutting up the ice to be there on the other side of the crease for Horvat created that goal. 

Heineman is in a contract year, so it’s important for him to impress the Islanders' front office so he can get a bigger deal, which he will. The 24-year-old is still only growing from here on out. The Leksand, Sweden product is likely going to have a breakout season, and Islanders fans should be excited about what he could bring to the table this season.