Colorado Avalanche free-agent-to-be Brock Nelson reportedly axed a trade that would have sent to the Winnipeg Jets, choosing the Colorado Avalanche instead.
Nelson, who’s set to hit the free-agent market this summer, was at an impasse with the New York Islanders at the trade deadline this season. According to reports, the Islanders had put a three-year contract extension on the table, hoping to keep Nelson in the fold.
Nelson passed on the Isles’ offer and forced former GM Lou Lamoriello to pull the trigger on a deal.
The rumored asking price for Nelson was a first-round pick and the winning bidder’s best prospect. That situation cost the Colorado Avalanche their 2026 first-round pick and top prospect Calum Ritchie.
Based on information from Marco D’Amico at RG Media, the Jets had a similar offer on the table for the 33-year-old Nelson.
On the table were prospects Brad Lambert, Colby Barlow, and Bryaden Yager for the Islanders to choose. One of those prospects would have headed to Long Island along with a collection of draft picks.
However, Nelson nixed the deal, forcing the Islanders to take Colorado’s offer. It's worth pointing out that Nelson had a modified 16-team no trade clause in his deal with the Islanders.
Nelson’s tenure in Colorado has been somewhat underwhelming. He played very well at times but failed to be a significant difference-maker, particularly in the postseason. With a tight budget this summer, it will be challenging for the Avs to re-sign the veteran center.
Re-signing Brock Nelson should be a priority for Colorado Avalanche this summer
As I mentioned earlier, re-signing Brock Nelson would be a challenging situation for the Colorado Avalanche this summer.
The Avalanche have a slew of free agents, including Ryan Lindgren and Jonathan Drouin, among other depth players. Plus, the Avs have roughly $8.7 million in cap space to work with.
That cap space, and the lack of LTIR money to draw from, could make it quite complicated to keep all pending free agents in the fold for next season. That reality puts the Avalanche behind the eight ball as a contract or two may have to head out the door to keep the band together.
Now, I’m not going to speculate who, if anyone, becomes a cap casualty this offseason. The Avalanche, nevertheless, will have to get creative to find the cap space to make things work. My spider senses tell me that the Avs will do everything they can to keep Nelson.
However, it’s worth pointing out that the prevailing theory is that Nelson is keen on playing in his home state of Minnesota. If that’s the case, keeping Nelson could be a foregone conclusion.
The Avalanche face a summer of question marks. If the club feels that a shakeup is needed, fans shouldn’t be surprised to find a big move or two that could reshape the team’s lineup next season.
That shakeup could include moving players to make cap space for newcomers like Nelson and Lindgren. So, keep an eye on the 2025 NHL Draft. Just because the Avs only have two picks in the later rounds, doesn’t mean the team doesn’t have something up its sleeve.