Game day with the Dobsons
Noah Dobson’s family on the edge of their seats cheering on the New York Islanders
SUMMERSIDE — Game day for the New York Islanders means one thing for Noah Dobson’s family.
His parents, Andrew and Jenny, and younger sister,
Elly, settle in and cheer on 21-year-old Noah, who has earned an everyday role on the Islanders’ blue-line in his sophomore season.
“At work, we do a hockey pool for the Holland Hurricanes, and we have (Noah) in one of the boxes, and it puts it in perspective for you — your kid is in the playoffs,” said Andrew, an athletics and recreation officer at Holland College. “His idol growing up was Sidney Crosby, so he’s actually playing against Sid.”
The Islanders defeated the Crosby-captained Pittsburgh Penguins 5-3 on Wednesday night to win the best-ofseven first-round series in six games. The Islanders will face the Boston Bruins in the East Division final. The Bruins took a 1-0 series lead into Game 2 on Monday night after winning the series opener 5-2 on Saturday.
Andrew and Jenny, who are both from Bathurst, N.B., but have lived in Summerside for 20 years, describe watching their son play in the Stanley Cup playoffs as exciting, surreal and nerve-racking.
Although the Dobsons have watched Noah play an elite level of hockey throughout his career, Jenny admits her hands and feet get a workout every time Noah is on the ice.
“I’ve been like this all my life; I get nervous (watching Noah),” said Jenny, an executive assistant at Strait Crossing Bridge Ltd. “For someone so young, a lot of kids don’t ever get that opportunity. He’s on a mature team, and we are grateful he is playing.”
VISITOR
The Dobson family graciously welcomed the SaltWire Network into their Summerside home for Game 4 between the Islanders and Penguins on May 22.
As the game started, Andrew and 18-year-old Elly sat in their regular positions on the couch. Jenny insisted on the guest taking the comfortable La-Z-Boy chair while she switched to another seat.
“I sat there the last two games, and they lost them both, so it’s time to change it up anyway,” said Jenny.
Dreyfus, the family dog, sports an Islanders’ collar that the 10-year-old springer spaniel received when New York drafted Noah 12th overall in the 2018 NHL Entry Draft. Dreyfus doesn’t pay much attention to the game but occasionally works the room for attention.
Elly said it’s “pretty cool” watching her older brother play for the Stanley Cup, known as the toughest championship trophy to win in all of professional sports because of hockey’s physical nature and the eventual winner needing to win 16 games.
“It’s something you didn’t think you would be doing as a young kid growing up,” said Elly, a senior at Three Oaks Senior High School in Summerside.
Andrew is the most active family member during games. He twists and turns during close calls at both ends. Jenny quietly watches, but her body language quickly indicates when Noah is on the ice.
“It depends on the game, but I am more the calm type,” said Elly, an elite soccer player. “Mom would be the nerve-racking one.”
COMMUNICATION
Andrew, Jenny and Elly watch all of the Islanders’ games together whenever possible. There is not a day that the close-knit family does not talk to each other, whether it be a phone call, text message, Snapchat or FaceTime.
“We have no family here on the Island, so it’s the four of us,” said Jenny. “We have a family group Snapchat. Noah and Elly are always back and forth ... He is always aware of what his sister is up to.”
Jenny said the family is superstitious and follows the same exchange of text messages on game days.
Asked if she could share those messages, Jenny replied: “It’s pretty simple, ‘Good luck tonight’ with a happy face and a heart.
“He’ll be ‘Thank you’ and a heart.“
Andrew, who added Noah always sends a Snapchat on his way to the rink, also has a special game-day tradition.
“Back in the day when I managed his (minor) hockey teams, I was a big Washington Capitals fan,” said Andrew, who participated in the Islanders’ father's trip to St. Louis in late February 2020. “I have been a big Capitals’ fan since the ’80s and, of course, (Alexander) Ovechkin.
“I always told the kids, ‘Be great like No. 8’ because with minor hockey players, they cheer for a wide range of teams and players.
“Now I will say something (to Noah) and ‘be great like No. 8’ because Noah’s number now is No. 8.”
POST-SEASON DEBUT
Last year, the Islanders advanced to the Eastern Conference
final against the eventual Stanley Cup champion Tampa Bay Lightning. Noah made his NHL post-season debut in Game 6 against Tampa.
A year later, he is right in the thick of the action. Although there have been ups and downs during the past two seasons, Andrew said Noah has benefited from maintaining an even-keel. He’s also received simple advice from Lou Lamoriello, Islanders president of hockey operations and general manager.
“Lou always tells him, ‘Don’t think about it; just go play,’” said Andrew.
Should Noah feel the need to talk to anyone, he doesn’t have to go far. At the suggestion of Lamoriello, Noah has lived with former Islander Dennis Seidenberg and his family the last two years. A former defenceman, Seidenberg played more than 900 NHL regular-season and playoff games and won a Stanley Cup with Boston in 2011.
“Dennis is really good to Noah and (his) kids are really good to him,” said Andrew. “Actually, (the other day),
after a skate, Noah had to pick up one of the kids at school.
“Rebecca, Dennis’s wife, is great. She owns her fashion boutique, so she is always getting the boys fashion clothes.”
With Noah moving to New York as a 19-year-old, Jenny said it is reassuring knowing he is in a great living situation. She added she is appreciative of everything the Seidenbergs have done for Noah, which included hosting the Dobsons for Christmas dinner in 2019.
“I pushed for him to stay with them again,” said Jenny. “He is pretty close to them.”