On Monday, Noah Dobson was traded from the Acadie-Bathurst Titan to Rouyn-Noranda in a deal that moved the 2018 first rounder from the cellar of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League to the penthouse. That’s not meant to be hyperbole: Acadie-Bathurst has six wins on the season, which has created a pretty untenable situation for the high-ceiling defenseman.
In general, a consequence of playing for a dreadful team is the chance of skewed production metrics, of which the Islanders’ 2018 first-round pick (12th overall) has witnessed for himself. For example, after a 52 assist season in 69 games last season, Dobson has just 7 in 26 games this season (to go along with 9 goals).