I recently published an article arguing that the Penguins should be aggressive and try and trade with the Islanders to acquire the first overall pick. In the very likely event that does not happen there is one player I think the Penguins should target on the New York Islanders.
Noah Dobson
It is very likely that the Islanders select defenseman Matthew Schaefer with the first overall pick. With that selection, this may make Noah Dobson expendable. It was circulated at the deadline that Dobson was made available for trade. He took a significant step back this year, production-wise wise and he is an RFA this summer and will likely want an 8x8 deal.
Offer sheet him
Since Dobson is an RFA this summer, he is eligible for an offer sheet. In theory, the Penguins could offer-sheet Dobson to a 1-year, $4.68 million contract, give the Islanders a second-round pick then offer him an 8-year extension. Because Dobson has a qualifying offer of $4 million this is an unlikely option considering it would only be a small pay increase for next season.
Trade
The most likely avenue to acquire Dobson, therefore, would be via trade. I would be all over this if I was the Penguins. Dobson may want a fresh start and has show flashes of being a special player, especially during the 2023/24 season.
In this scenario, the Islanders would draft Schaefer first overall, thus cementing their future on the blue line, and also acquire an additional first so they could add forward depth. For the Penguins, this move would also mean they would extend Dobson but the 25-year-old has shown flashes of brilliance and I think he is worth taking a shot on.