Over the past few years, it seems that the idea of trading Brock Nelson has been brought up every February, and rightfully so. At this point of the year, over the last three seasons, the Islanders have been on the outside looking in on the playoffs.
Entering the 2024 NHL All-Star Break, the Islanders sit six points out of a Wild Card spot in the East but have a convoy of teams right behind them trying to get their chance to compete for Lord Stanley. The Islanders did fire head coach Lane Lambert in favor of Patrick Roy, but if the Islanders can’t turn around their efforts ahead of the March 8th trade deadline, could we see the Islanders current leader in games played with the team moved to a new city?
Brock Nelson is a 32-year-old, two-way center-men with an elite scoring touch. Nelson stands at 6’4” and carries a $6,000,000 cap hit through the 2024-25 season. His value is through the roof for teams that think they’re an elite 2nd line center away from competing for a Cup.
So, what would a trade package centered around Brock Nelson look like?
Yesterday, the Vancouver Canucks and Calgary Flames completed a trade that sent impending UFA center-men Elias Lindholm to Vancouver in exchange for Canucks forward Andrei Kuzmenko, a 2024 first-round pick, top defensive prospect Hunter Brzustewicz, defensive prospect Joni Jurmo and a conditional 2024 fourth-round pick.
It’s a massive haul for a guy who has less than half the goals of Brock Nelson and fewer total points.
Now, considering Nelson is two and half years older than Lindholm but is under contract at a very fair number for next season, there’s no reason the Islanders wouldn’t be able to pull a return such as this one that Calgary got for Lindholm.
Could a contending team like the Colorado Avalanche unload some roster players, picks, and prospects to the Islanders in exchange of Brock Nelson’s services?
Could there be a possibility that Kevin Cheveldayoff wants to add an elite man up the middle to put his Jets over the top? Nelson grew up two hours from cold Winnipeg. Would Brock be interested in playing close to home?
These are all questions that we could see answered if Lou Lamoriello ultimately decides to deal Brock Nelson before the March 8th trade deadline.
