![Feb 17, 2025; Boston, MA, USA; [Imagn Images direct customers only] Team USA forward Brock Nelson (29) shoots the puck wide of Team Sweden goalie Samuel Ersson (30) during the third period in a 4 Nations Face-Off ice hockey game at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_crop,x_0,y_386,w_3706,h_2084/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/images/ImagnImages/mmsport/108/01ke0ktjjsexxptysy2b.jpg "Feb 17, 2025; Boston, MA, USA; [Imagn Images direct customers only] Team USA forward Brock Nelson (29) shoots the puck wide of Team Sweden goalie Samuel Ersson (30) during the third period in a 4 Nations Face-Off ice hockey game at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images")
Colorado Avalanche forward Brock Nelson earned a much-deserved honor on Friday. Nelson officially got a nod to Team USA’s 2026 Olympic roster.
After seeing Nelson’s body of work this season, it’s not hard to tell. Nelson has a unique skill set that not many American forwards possess. He’s a solid, two-way forward who can do so many things on the ice.
The best way to encapsulate Nelson’s role on the Avalanche is this: Good employees often go unnoticed until they’re gone. In the business world, good employees consistently get the job done. They go about their craft day in and day out. No one really notices them because they do their job so well. When things are running smoothly, you know that such employees are at their best.
But what happens when that employee is absent? Everything goes haywire. That fundamental piece can no longer keep the entire machinery functioning. That absence invariably leads to a potential system-wide breakdown.
That’s what Brock Nelson represents. Imagine removing him from the Avalanche at this point. Sure, the club will go on scoring goals and whatnot. But would they realistically be this good?
That’s the same logic that Team USA applied in selecting Nelson. As Michael Russo noted in The Athletic, Nelson’s all-around game is what has him playing a crucial, if underrated role:
“The American coaching staff values everything Brock Nelson can provide when it comes to checking, scoring, faceoffs and penalty killing…”
That’s precisely the same reasoning that led Team Canada to select Bo Horvat, Nelson’s former Islanders teammate. Having a center who can do just about everything, particularly on special teams, is like having a “get out of jail free” card. Team USA coach Mike Sullivan can just throw Nelson over the boards and know that shift won’t lead to an epic mess.
That’s the confidence everyone has in Brock Nelson on Team USA’s coaching staff. Sure, there might be sexier picks out there. But once you look at Team USA’s depth down the middle, boy, it’s tough to overlook.
Ultimately, taking Nelson on makes perfect sense. He’s the sort of player that Sullivan won’t have to think about. He may not light up the scoreboard at the Olympics. And that’s fine because his other intangibles make up for far more than that.