NASHVILLE, Tenn. — There’s going to be a delicate tug-of-war this summer, between free agents looking at the NHL’s salary cap rise and expecting commensurate raises and front offices, trying to put the reins on things.

How this plays out will vary from market-to-market, from player-to-player. The Islanders don’t have a more interesting case study than Noah Dobson.

There’s a plethora of options facing both the Islanders’ camp and Dobson’s after the season ends. 

He’ll be a restricted free agent, but with arbitration rights and in a summer where there is already heavy speculation about offer sheets — fueled by the combination of the Blues’ successful coup of Dylan Holloway and Phillip Broberg from Edmonton last summer and the cap rise giving clubs extra money to work with.