Islanders defenseman Noah Dobson has been stepping up significantly this season, but his role has become even more crucial due to the injuries of Adam Pelech and Sebastian Aho. The 23-year-old has played the last two games on his off side and is expected to continue doing so. While the addition of Mike Reilly via waivers will help reduce Dobson’s minutes load, he still played nearly 60 minutes over two nights in the most recent game. The evolution of Dobson into a top-pair defenseman has come at a good time for the Islanders, who now need to survive without Pelech. The team’s chances of doing so would be far worse if not for Dobson’s contributions.
Samuel Bolduc is expected to come out of the lineup to make room for Reilly, with coach Lane Lambert emphasizing the need for consistency in Bolduc’s performance. Additionally, Cal Clutterbuck and Simon Holmstrom both missed practice on Monday due to illness and are considered day-to-day. Sebastian Aho was placed on injured reserve and will be eligible to return in early December, while Matt Martin was a full participant in Monday’s practice, leaving open the possibility of his activation for Tuesday’s game.
The Islanders are facing some tough challenges due to injuries, but Noah Dobson’s performance is providing much-needed stability for the team. His ability to step up in difficult situations has been crucial, and the team is hoping for consistent performances from other players to help fill the void left by injured teammates.
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