By Bekki Antonelli -
Brock Nelson trade rumors are getting louder as the March 7 trade deadline approaches. The New York Islanders center grew up in Warroad and has 17 goals and 19 assists in 56 games this season. He broke into the league in 2013-14 and has 292 goals and 275 assists in 896 career games. Nelson is in the sixth year of his $36 million contract, which expires at the end of this season.
Bill Guerin got the rumor mill spinning when he picked Nelson for the 4 Nations Face-Off. Guerin said he picked the Minnesota native because “He can do everything. He can play center. He can play wing. He can win face-offs. He can kill penalties. He can play on your power play. He can play on the flank. He can play net front.”
Guerin showed faith in Nelson by choosing him as one of 13 forwards for the 4 Nations tournament and the need for a versatile player to go on a playoff run. The Wild have experienced a rash of injuries this season, and they need depth insurance for the playoffs.
Nelson played all 4 games during the 4 Nations tournament but came away with zero points and was a -3 plus/minus. Although it was only 4 games, it’s possible Guerin is less excited about him after this performance.
Furthermore, Minnesota currently has 12 guys over 30 on its roster. For context, the Winnipeg Jets have 8, and the Boston Bruins have 6. Age isn’t necessarily a negative or a positive. An argument against having older players is that they’re unlikely to get better at this point in their career, so it makes more sense to invest in younger players. However, they’re also more likely to be consistent, confident, and productive in crucial situations.
Nelson is only 33 years old and currently producing, so they likely want him.
Does Nelson want to return to Minnesota? Probably not. Nelson is halfway through his 12th straight season with the Islanders and has played there his entire career. After ESPN broadcaster John Buccigross commented on Nelson's potential trade to the Wild, Nelson called them “outside noise.”
“That's nothing that I thought about or anything like that,” Nelson responded curtly.
He’s not exactly bleeding red and green.
Nelson also has a 16-team no-trade clause in his contract. While it’s unlikely Minnesota is on it, he doesn’t seem interested in leaving the Islanders.
While the Islanders are 6th in the Metropolitan division and 23rd overall, they had a 7-game winning streak that ended on February 2. They have a 23.8% chance of making the playoffs. Nelson is tied for 3rd on the Islanders in goals, meaning New York would reduce its playoff odds by trading him. However, the Islanders may consider moving him if they’re focused on the future.
Even if the Islanders don’t want him, cap space will still be an issue. Minnesota has $8,225,000 in cap space, but that’s only because they placed Kirill Kaprizov on LTIR. They could hold Kaprizov on LTIR until the playoffs to use the cap space. However, that would be against NHL rules, bad sportsmanship, and counterproductive because Kaprizov produces more than Nelson.
The Wild already traded their 2025 first-round pick for David Jiricek and their third- and fourth-round selections in 2026. So Minnesota could trade the 2025 second round or 2026 first or second round, but Nelson isn’t going to create depth long-term the way a top prospect would. Therefore, they would be giving up valuable picks for a short-term rental.
The Wild could also move out other players to make room. However, it would take a lot of shuffling to move $6 million worth of salary. At that point, Minnesota would mess with team chemistry and trust by swapping out multiple players simultaneously.
However, Nelson would be a good addition if the Wild can land him. He looks really irritating to play against.
Nelson is 6-foot-4, 205 lbs., has great reach with his stick, and isn’t so bulky he has trouble moving through the other team. The Wild don’t have anyone who’s that tall. Other players have difficulty getting the puck from Nelson, allowing him to make clean passes consistently. He also exhibits patience with the puck and has a knack for picking off open ice passes and loose pucks with his long stick.
He has 2 shorthanded goals this year, including this one:
Guerin might like Nelson on the penalty kill, but I don’t. Nelson is a strong penalty killer, so why am I not a fan? He’s too tall for the small area and doesn’t have quick reactions on the penalty kill.
Nelson’s reach helps him grab pucks and intercept passes on the open ice, making him an offensive threat on penalty kills. However, his size hinders him in tight spaces, making the center less ideal defensively.
Nelson also has trouble getting into lanes and effectively blocking passes during penalty kills because he can’t move quickly enough.
To be fair, no one has Jason Robertson covered, which was the major mistake. Still, Nelson tried to cover Matt Duchene, who already had 2 Islanders on him. Therefore, Roope Hintz is completely uncovered, and Nelson cannot block the pass.
Maxim Tsyplakov could have stepped up on the pass, but Nelson doesn’t cover anyone on this play. During an earlier power play in this game against Dallas, Nelson was completely ineffective and didn’t block a single pass or shot.
Nelson’s general talent and ability to score on the penalty kill can cover for his slower reaction speed in the regular season. However, it’s not always smart to take risks to score shorthanded in playoff hockey, so Nelson might not be the best fit for the penalty kill in the postseason.
Still, the 12-year veteran can make the plays when the clock is ticking. He has 5 game-winning goals this year, including this recent OT goal against the Carolina Hurricanes.
Nelson hasn’t won a Cup, but he has playoff experience. The Islanders have lost in the first round the past 2 seasons. However, Nelson has 4 points in 5 games in the 2023-24 season and 5 points in 6 games the year before. He’s already shown he can compete when the pressure is on.
Playoff hockey is always more intense, and not all teams fare as well as they did in the regular season. The 2023 Bruins team broke records and won the President’s Trophy, only to choke in the first round. If Nelson joined the Wild, he would keep playing his game and bolster Minnesota’s chances of advancing in the playoffs for the first time since the 2014-15 season.
The Wild are likely scouting Nelson because of what he could do in the playoffs, but the Islanders are unlikely to move him before the deadline. However, if he makes it to Minnesota, he’ll be an effective 2-way player and a postseason asset.
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