The New York Islanders traded restricted free agent defenseman Noah Dobson to the Montreal Canadiens on Friday, a source told ESPN, in a move that could have a huge impact on the NHL draft.
The Islanders acquired forward Emil Heineman and the Nos. 16 and 17 picks in the first round of the draft (7 p.m. ET, ESPN), the source said. It was a sign-and-trade deal for Dobson, who agreed to an eight-year, $76 million deal before the trade, a source said.
New York owns the first overall pick, after winning April's draft lottery, and is expected to select defenseman Matthew Schaefer of OHL Erie on Friday night.