But Dobson has made significant strides on the defensive side of the game, moving to the first pair this season because of a combination of injuries and his improvement. Dobson is third among NHL defensemen in average ice time per game at 25:33 and his plus-17 rating is tied for fifth among all players.
"He certainly has grown," Islanders president of hockey operations and general manager Lou Lamoriello said. "He was very fortunate to be able to go through an apprenticeship as a very young player and had some pretty good role models and people helping him at that time.
"He's still in a growth pattern. He's getting better and better and that's all you want to see in a young player."
Playing with defenseman Adam Pelech when the latter has been healthy also has helped. Dobson has lauded Pelech's smart and simple game, calling him a "safety valve" in case things break down. That has helped Dobson's confidence, knowing that he has a hand should he ever need it.
"I think that just as he goes along here and gets bigger and stronger (6-foot-4, 200 pounds), it helps him in those battles," coach Lane Lambert said. "It's just a situation where you find out just how much more he can handle."
That, in fact, was the plan all along for Dobson, who knew where he needed to improve and set out to do it. He wanted to dive headfirst into the offseason after the Islanders lost to the Carolina Hurricanes in six games in the Eastern Conference First Round last season. He felt like he hadn't had a full offseason where he could train, where he could get better, since junior.
He was healthy. He was ready.
"Getting stronger and adding more power is something I've been needing to do," Dobson said. "I was able to attack that. I think that just gives you more confidence. And on the defensive side, when you add that strength and power, you have more confidence when you're battling and when you're defending.
"That's something I really keyed in on and I felt I was able to accomplish."
Not that he's satisfied.
"I feel like I've done a good job early on this year, but I still feel like there's still lots of areas where I continue to grow and become the guy that can play in all situations, play a lot of minutes," Dobson said. "There's definitely something I'm still working towards. Which is exciting for me. I've been able to have some success so far but knowing that I still have room to continue to grow and keep getting better is exciting. It's what drives you."
Because this is what he's always wanted, of course, to play big minutes in all situations, to be the guy the Islanders were anticipating when they selected him with the No. 12 pick in the 2018 NHL Draft. He has wanted to silence those who have criticized him, who have wondered if he ever would reach his promise.
It was so much that, at the end of last season, Lamoriello cautioned that there has been "too much criticism" of the defenseman, standing up for a player that he believes still is early in his career, who still has room to grow.
It's what he's seen this season as those minutes have increased, that Dobson has been able to find his rhythm, to find his confidence, to find that he's playing at his best.
"I think on a personal level I'd be my biggest critic," Dobson said. "I'm honest with myself and play, where I know if I have better and more to give. I'd be the first one to say that. That's kind of where I was at going into the offseason where I knew I had another level and the team needed me to get to another level to help us have success. That was a motivational factor for sure."
He wants to be trusted. He likes where he's trending.
Dobson may not be living with Seidenberg and his three kids anymore -- he spent two seasons with the family -- but he remains in close contact with his former housemate. He was able to understand through that time spent together what it took, the way Seidenberg's body was taxed, the physicality needed, even if hockey has changed during the decade-plus since that run.
"I'm obviously a lot younger than him, but we were good friends through that time," Dobson said. "We couldn't go out and see his buddies. We definitely became closer over those times. He's a great human."
It's something that Lamoriello and the Islanders welcome.
"I think it's important to any young player to have the opportunity to be around and have mentors that are not on the team but are former players who work with us in the organization and they can go to," Lamoriello said. "Those are people who are going to tell him what he doesn't want to hear and no one will know that and that's important."
Dobson has heard a lot about his performance and his possibilities during the past few seasons, both from those in the organization who want to see him succeed and those who fear he never will. He's taken it all to heart.
And he's ready. Ready to silence the latter and make the former proud.
"He's a young player who has unlimited potential," Lamoriello said. "I think that's the best way to look at it."
