This past season, the Canadiens ended a three-year playoff drought and looked like a team on the rise. With the team on an upward trajectory, general manager Kent Hughes took a big swing ahead of the 2025 NHL Draft. Montreal sent the No. 16 and No. 17 overall picks to the Isles for Dobson, a 25-year-old defenseman with great puck-moving skills.

Montreal is on the rise, with their first stop in the playoffs since 2021. And Dobson will anchor the blue line with Hutson for years, which is a formidable pairing. That said, giving up two first-rounders and a former second-round forward is A LOT, plus the giant extension.

The Canadiens acquired the 25-year-old defenceman from the New York Islanders on June 27 for forward Emil Heineman and two first-round draft picks – Nos. 16 and 17. The Canadiens signed Dobson, a restricted free agent, to an eight-year contract with an annual average value of $9.5 million.