NFT: Islanders sign F Brock Nelson to a 6-year extension

Nelson gets six years, $6 million AAV


Seems fair for both sides

Plays center and never misses a game, but $6M AAV for a player who has never had more than 26 goals in a season and eclipsed 50 points just once seems like a lot.

Of brock. The isles will bring back the same team per usual and get nobody in free agency. Only hope is to upgrade with dobson/wahlstrom/wilde/koivula and a leddy trade

... he scored a lot of big goals for Isles.

for a 27 year old center IMO. He really grew this year under Trotz and looked solid to good in all 8 playoff games. I don't think they could've done any better given the current crop of UFAs (i.e., letting Nelson walk to take a shot at Duchene didn't seem smart).

The real interesting question is what to do with Lee. I love the guy, but not sure if we should pay big money for him. Isles have to see if he's willing to take team friendly deal.

Outside of Duchene, the UFA C class was awful. I think it was Arthur Staple who tweeted that if you sort by points in 2018-2019, the Islanders actually had 2 of the top 5 UFA's at C this year (Nelson and Valtteri Filppula). I worry about the length considering his track record, but I also trust Trotz that if he says to Lou that Nelson is the type of player he can win with. Will be interesting to see what Lee and Eberle get.

I like Nelson, he's a decent 2C (I don't care if Nelson starts or not, Barzal is the 1C - neither one is great on face offs)

If the Islanders sign a $5M per year player you get two players for the price of Tavares.

for shorter term.

there's almost nothing on the market at C other than Hayes/Duchene - who will both get a lot more than Nelson I think. Paying Nelson through age 33 isn't the end of the world.

Now they need to find an upgrade over Eberle on the 1L wing. Joe Pav on a shorter term but huge AAV deal would be interesting. Almost exactly like what Lou did with Marleau in Toronto (not that that has worked out great, but he was 38 at the time).

We don't have a lot in the way of centers down on the farm. I think we will probably draft a couple in June.