Islanders Forward Tops Trade Board

Could the New York Islanders move on from staple forward Brock Nelson?

Dec 13, 2023; Elmont, New York, USA; New York Islanders center Brock Nelson (29) skates across the blue line against the Anaheim Ducks during the second period at UBS Arena. Mandatory Credit: Dennis Schneidler-USA TODAY Sports / Dennis Schneidler-USA TODAY Sports

It feels like sooner or later, the New York Islanders are going to have to figure out what kind of team they want to be.

New York truly feels like one of the teams in No Man's Land, not good enough to compete for a Stanley Cup but not bad enough to get top draft picks to rebuild with. Lou Lamoriello clearly still wwants to compete, as evidenced by him signing numerous long-term deals over the past couple of years, but an aging roster can only contend for so long. If things start to go south, it may be time for some tough decisions.

One of said tough decisions could be trading away veteran forward Brock Nelson, who recently topped Bleacher Report's September trade board.

"Turning 33 on Oct. 15, Nelson is in the final season of his six-year contractwith an average annual value of $6 million and a 16-team no-trade list," B/R's Lyle Richardson wrote. "Eligible for unrestricted free-agent status next July, this could be his final campaign with the Islanders.

"The odds are against Lamoriello shopping Nelson before the start of the season because they'll need him if they hope to reach the playoffs next spring. Nevertheless, he could be someone worth watching in the rumor mill if his team ends up out of the postseason hunt leading up to the 2025 trade deadline."

Nelson, 34, has been a staple in the Islanders' lineup for over a decade now. In fact, since making his regular-season debut in 2013, he's played 840 of a possible 876 games. He's also in the best stretch of his career, scoring 75 and 69 points over the past two seasons.

Losing a player like that would obviously hurt, but if the Islanders aren't willing to extend Nelson, then they'd be better off trading him instead of letting him walk for nothing. With a relatively shallow prospect pool and young defenseman Noah Dobson due for an extension after this season, it's an option they should consider if the season goes off the rails.

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