The New York Islanders and the Vancouver Canucks share a lot of similarities. The front offices keep things in-house, the head coaches get the most out of their rosters with Rick Tocchet winning the Jack Adams Award last season, Patrick Roy being a strong candidate if the Islanders overachieve, and Bo Horvat played for both teams.
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The big thing in common is the blue line. The Canucks and the Islanders have great defensemen leading their teams and making them competitive. The Canucks, however, have a duo in Quinn Hughes and Filip Hronek that the Islanders want to have in Noah Dobson and Alexander Romanov.
Hughes Matured Into an Elite Defenseman
When Hughes became a regular in the 2019-20 season, he was 20 years old and a great passer but not a great defenseman. He could find open skaters and move the puck into the offensive zone, something reflected in his 143 assists in his first three seasons (compared to only 19 goals). Likewise, his speed made him a promising skater in the Canucks lineup, one that they could mold into a great defenseman. The problem was he struggled on the defensive end of the ice and opponents didn’t fear his shot in the offensive zone.
Hughes started to improve defensively during the 2021-22 season with 5.0 defensive point shares and he rounded out his game in the 2023-24 season. He won the Norris Trophy last season not just because he could take the offense to the next level with 17 goals and 75 assists but also because he could defend, with 6.5 defensive point shares and 55 blocked shots. At 25, he’s in his prime and showing no signs of slowing down as the team’s best player, leading the Canucks in points along with defensive play.
Dobson’s career has had a similar trajectory. He’s proven he can create offense, with 40 goals and 157 assists in his career but his play defensively is inconsistent. This is the season where he can prove he’s an elite defenseman and in the same tier as Hughes. So far, the season has been a disappointment but he has 66 games to turn things around and help the Islanders skyrocket in the standings.
Hronek & Romanov Balance Out The Top Pair
When the Canucks acquired Hronek at the 2023 Trade Deadline, they gave up a first-round draft selection to do so (interestingly, it was the first-rounder they received in the Horvat trade). The move seemed crazy at the time since Hronek was good but not worth that price. Looking back, that deal was a bargain. He’s been the ideal defenseman for the Canucks, balancing out the top pair with his great play defensively.
Romanov has done the same for the Islanders. Like Hronek, he also cost the team a first-round selection and similarly, has proven to be a worthwhile addition despite the price tag. Romanov is the stay-at-home defenseman who allows Dobson to play more aggressively and offensive-minded. He’s day-to-day with an injury (and has been for a few weeks) but when he returns, he’ll be the top defenseman on the Islanders.
Every great defense needs a stay-at-home defenseman who compensates for the scoring defenseman. The Edmonton Oilers and the Florida Panthers were Stanley Cup finalists featuring great scoring defensemen (Evan Bouchard and Brandon Montour) but they also featured remarkable stay-at-home defensemen (Mattias Ekholm and Gustav Forsling). Both the Canucks and the Islanders have those defensemen on their top pairings and it goes a long way.
The Ripple Effect of a Great Top Pair
The Canucks were one of the best teams in the Western Conference last season, finishing with the top record in the Pacific Division. A lot went right with the forward unit finding great chemistry in the top six and the depth coming into form as well but a lot of the success can be credited to the top pair.
When a team has a great defensive pairing they can lean on, and allow it to take on more ice time, it makes the rest of the defensive unit better. Suddenly, the depth skaters aren’t asked to carry the weight and instead, they can step up in a lesser role. On top of that, it helps out the offense, especially if one of the defensemen can make an impact at the point.
The Canucks have a pair that can do that with Hughes and Hronek making an impact in all facets of the game. The Islanders hope that someday their duo can do the same. For now, they are a middling team in the Eastern Conference but when Dobson and Romanov are playing at a high level, they will become one of the best teams in the conference.
