Noah Dobson Changes Agents; What it Means for His Future

News broke this afternoon that New York Islanders defenseman Noah Dobson changed agents from Andrew Maloney to the Wasserman group. PuckPedia lists his agent as Olivier Fortier, who will be the lead agent. Judd Moldaver, a prominent NHL agent, is involved as well. Stefen Rosner broke the news on X, formerly known as Twitter.

Dobson’s change of agents comes at a pivotal time for the defenseman, who will become a restricted free agent at the end of this season. The timing of this news is notable for multiple reasons, but it certainly shows that Dobson is not happy in his current situation

Whether that has to do with Dobson’s name leaking out about him being involved in trade talks (likely an offer for Elias Pettersson) or his play has dipped, costing him millions in his upcoming contract extension. Players never change agents without a reason. This is a smoke signal telegraphing something that is brewing beneath the surface.

(Unlikely) Option 1: He’s Unhappy with NYI and Wants a Trade

This is one option. I don’t know how likely it is, considering Dobson always seems happy and truly enjoys his time with the team on Long Island. But players changing agents right after their names leak out in trade speculation is absolutely going to lead to more smoke billowing out.

The Islanders do not want to trade Dobson unless it’s for a bonafide top-line scorer who will become a core member of the team. It’s been widely reported by now on various levels, including insider Elliotte Friedman, that the Islanders and Vancouver Canucks were engaged in talks over an Elias Pettersson trade. Those talks have quieted right now, and Vancouver has pushed itself back into a playoff spot during the break.

Dobson would not be traded just for the sake of it, even if he wanted one. That’s not how Team President and General Manager Lou Lamoriello operates. However, it is possible Dobson could be seeking a trade. With Lamoriello in charge, he’d never let that word get out and lose any potential leverage.

(Likely) Option 2: It’s a Business Decision to Get More $ for His Next Contract:

While the trade option is always the more exciting one, it’s much more unlikely than this. In mysteries, the simplest answer is often correct. In this case, the simplest answer is that Andrew Maloney is a smaller agency that focuses mainly on younger players breaking into the league with early contracts.

According to PuckPedia, Maloney’s largest active contract is Dobson’s current contract. Other than that, the contracts are mostly entry-level, with Liam O’Brien of the Utah Hockey Club being an outlier.

Wasserman Group, where Dobson has joined, has signed an endless number of big contracts. From Connor McDavid to Zach Werenski, their experience is far more in line with what’s coming next for Dobson than what Maloney has previously done.

As for Dobson’s lead agent, Olivier Fortier, just months ago, he signed Alexis Lafreniere to a monster seven-year, $7.45 AAV contract. Dobson is in line for an extension of that size as well, so changing agencies to more experienced agents likely help him in negotiations.

Either way, the move signals Dobson means business. Whether it’s looking for a big money extension or wanting a trade to come, this is a giant clue-in that Dobson wants answers.