Hulking Zdeno Chara was already in his third NHL season when his defense partner at the start of this Islanders’ training camp was born. Not surprisingly, Noah Dobson keenly followed all the future Hall of Famer’s accomplishments.
"Just being able to share the ice with Z is special for me," Dobson told Newsday on Saturday. "I grew up watching him lots and obviously a lot of respect for everything he’s been able to do in this league. It’s a great honor to play with him and I’m really looking forward to continue to build that connection and keep getting better with one another.