Islanders' Noah Dobson says he's not focused on a new contract

Noah Dobson was certainly aware of the seven-year, $60 million extension Red Wings restricted free agent defenseman Moritz Seider signed on Thursday, a contract that should be considered a strong comparable for the Islanders blue-liner, set to be an RFA after this season.

But Dobson, entering his sixth NHL campaign after notching 10 goals and a career-high 60 assists for a career-high 70 points last season, is not concentrating on such off-the-ice matters.

“Honestly, that part of the business, I haven’t even focused on,” Dobson told Newsday on Friday after an intense, two-hour practice on Day 2 of training camp at Northwell Health Ice Center in East Meadow. “Each person is in a different situation. He [Seider] didn’t have a contract for this year. Either way, I’m just trying to focus on each day, trying to get better. That side of stuff always takes care of itself.”

Dobson, entering the last season of a three-year, $12 million deal, is just one of the Islanders who will be fielding questions about his contract status this season. His defense partner, Alexander Romanov, is entering the final season of his three-year, $7.5 million deal and, like Dobson, will be due a significant raise as an RFA with arbitration rights.

Second-line center Brock Nelson is completing a six-year, $36 million deal and will be an unrestricted free agent. Ditto for linemate Kyle Palmieri as he enters the final season of a four-year, $20 million deal.

Palmieri also told Newsday he’s not focused on the business end of things right now. Unlike Dobson and Romanov, though, Palmieri is working on the second big contract of his career. The Devils signed him to a six-year, $27.9 million deal in 2016 before he was traded to the Islanders in the final season of that contract.

That was in the 2020-21 season interrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“I think the problem with that year is I had more time to think about it,” Palmieri said. “We had a 10-month layoff. All I did was sit there and say, ‘Maybe they’ll call. Maybe they’ll call.’

“For right now, you take it day by day. I’m excited by the opportunity that the guys in this room have. Until someone says otherwise, I came into the rink with a smile on my face. I really love playing here. I love this group of guys. I love the coaching staff. From the day I got here I’ve been treated with nothing but the best.”

Notes & quotes: Coach Patrick Roy reported goalie Ilya Sorokin (back) is skating on his own after offseason surgery. The team would not disclose whether Sorokin was facing shots yet . . . Day 2 of camp was split into two groups, including a scrimmage. The second group was on the ice for two hours, with Roy pushing them hard with rink-length endurance skating drills then followed by more skills work. The second group also worked on special teams, unusual for this early in training camp. “Five games in nine days,” Roy said of the Islanders’ preseason schedule, which opens Sunday night on the road against the Devils. “We don’t have time to practice a lot.”

By Andrew Gross

andrew.gross@newsday.comAGrossNewsday

Andrew Gross joined Newsday in 2018 to cover the Islanders. He began reporting on the NHL in 2003 and has previously covered the Rangers and Devils. Other assignments have included the Jets, St. John’s and MLB.