Rangers rival faces major trade deadline ramifications with Brock Nelson decision
To trade Brock Nelson or not to trade Brock Nelson. That’s the decision one of the New York Rangers biggest rivals faces as the March 7 NHL Trade Deadline approaches. And it’s got to be a real quandary for the New York Islanders and their general manager Lou Lamoriello.
Nelson is one of the best No. 2 centers in the NHL. He’s scored at least 34 goals in each of the past three seasons – all since turning age 30 — though with 17 in 55 games this season he’s unlikely to reach that total again. He’s defensively responsible, can play on both special teams and has spent each of his 12 NHL seasons with the Islanders, who selected him in the first round (No. 30) of the 2010 NHL Draft.
But Nelson can also become an unrestricted free agent this summer, when his six-year, $36 million contract expires. With the Islanders in 12th place in the Eastern Conference, one point behind the Rangers, three behind the Boston Bruins and Columbus Blue Jackets, and four behind the Detroit Red Wings, who own the second wild card in the East, Lamoriello has a decision to make: Does he deal one of his top forwards before the deadline or try to sign him? Depending on the return package, it could be the difference in going for a playoff spot this season or cutting their losses and looking to the future, one without the steady center.
The Islanders got back into the playoff race with a seven-game winning streak in January and won eight of their final 11 games before the 4 Nations Face-Off break – where Nelson will play for the United States along with Rangers defenseman Adam Fox and forwards J.T. Miller, Vincent Trocheck and Chris Kreider. However, the Isles are riddled with injuries to key players, most notably forward Mathew Barzal and defensemen Noah Dobson and Ryan Pulock.
If Lamoriello opts to trade Nelson, there will be a number of interested teams. He would be one of the more coveted unrestricted free agents on the market — and would bring back a sizeable return if traded.
Speaking on “32 Thoughts: The Podcast,” NHL insider Elliotte Friedman said Monday he feels the Islanders are going to make their pitch soon.
“I do think this is the time when the Islanders are going to take their real run at it,” Friedman said. “(General manager) Lou Lamoriello has told teams that they want to sign him.”
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GM of Rangers rival mum on whether Islanders will re-sign Brock Nelson
But Friedman notes that Lamoriello is famously closed-mouth about his plans on anything – and re-signing Nelson is no different.
“It’s so hard to know the truth with him (Lamoriello) him because (a) he doesn’t give it away, and (b) out of respect for him, the people who deal with him don’t say much,” Friedman noted. “But I did hear from a couple of places on Saturday that this is going to be crunch time for the Islanders to try to sign Nelson. I think they want to do it.”
The Islanders were burned in the summer of 2018, shortly after Lamoriello was hired, when their best player, center John Tavares, signed as a free agent with the Toronto Maple Leafs, his hometown team, after reportedly asking then-GM Garth Snow not to deal him at the trade deadline.
Nelson native hasn’t given any public indications as to whether he wants to stay with the only NHL team he’s ever played for, and has a modified no-trade clause that gives him a lot of say in any potential deadline deal.
“It’s obviously a factor, for sure. This is the only place I’ve been. I don’t know anything different,” Nelson told The Hockey News last week when asked about being a lifelong Islander. “I’m familiar with the situation here, living here. I’m comfortable here, have kids in school, so there’s a lot of things that go into it. And that’s a big part of it, for sure.
“And then, on the other side of it, with the business, you have no idea how things play out. But I’ve been fortunate. There are guys similar in age, even younger, who’ve been on a couple of different teams and traveling around. I’ve been fortunate to be here.”
Nelson is fifth in franchise history in goals (292), tied for eighth in points (566), and fifth in games played (895). He has 19 goals and 36 points in 49 regular-season games against the Rangers, his second-highest totals in each category against one team.
Friedman said he’s heard that the Islanders are going to make their push to keep him in the very near future.
“Nelson is going to be 34 years old in the fall, so it’s going to be very interesting where this goes,” Friedman said. “This is not going to be an eight-year deal, but I do think they’re going to make a legitimate, legitimate attempt to sign him. I get differing reactions about what Nelson’s true feelings are on this, so we’ll see how it all plays out. But everybody’s waiting to find out what the story is with him.
“He’s a hell of a player, he’s a low-maintenance guy, he’s hugely popular in that Islander room. I think we’ll get some clarity over the next week or so on whether or not he’s going to be on the market or there’s any chance of him staying.”
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