The Colorado Avalanche were Brock Nelson’s first choice at this year’s trade deadline. According to Arthur Staple at The Athletic, the New York Islanders were down to two teams willing to pay the price to get Brock Nelson: The Winnipeg Jets and the Colorado Avalanche.
Staple discussed how the Islanders had set a firm price for Nelson. The Isles wanted a first-round pick and the team’s top prospect. No pay, no play.
Given that benchmark, the two teams willing to ante up were the Jets and the Avalanche. The Jets were reportedly dangling their first-round pick this season and prospect Brad Lambert. Meanwhile, the Avs had their first-rounder and Calum Ritchie on the table.
The deal could have gone either way. But it was the Avalanche who won the deal. As Staple indicated, Nelson chose the Avalanche over the Jets as Nelson has a 16-team no-trade clause. Now, it’s tough to know which precise teams were on Nelson’s list, but it’s safe to say the Jets were on that list.
Allow me to digress for a moment. The Athletic reported a players’ survey earlier this season. Among the questions in that survey, was one about the least desirable destinations for players. Winnipeg topped the list as the majority of players with no-trade clauses generally list Winnipeg as a no-go option.
With that in mind, there’s a fair chance Winnipeg was a no-go for Nelson. So, the Avalanche won the sweepstakes. Now, I will say that the Islanders got the better end of the deal. Ritchie is a much better prospect than Lambert and the Avs’ first-rounder should be earlier in the Jets’.
Ultimately, the Avalanche paid a hefty price, but Nelson seems to be worth it.
Colorado Avalanche will need to pony up to keep Brock Nelson
Staple also reported that the Islanders had a three-year deal on the table for Nelson. Nelson, according to sources, wanted to remain in Long Islander. However, he felt the deal was too short and the dollar amount wasn’t enough given the deal’s length.
With that in mind, the Avalanche are faced with two potential outcomes to keep Nelson. One, they will need to pay up on a shorter-term deal. Two, they will need to offer a longer deal at a more reasonable cap hit.
Both options are wrought with uncertainty. Nelson is 33. He won’t be as effective as he is now in the coming season. So, do the Avalanche pay up to keep him for, say, three years? Or, do the Avs kick the can down the road and offer something like a four or five-year deal to push the cap hit down?
Personally, the latter option seems the most palatable. While the Avalanche may have to eat up the last couple of years on his contract, the short-term benefit seems like the most desirable.
I would like to see Nelson remain in Colorado, potentially for the rest of his career. He’s a good player and he needed a fresh start. Patrick Roy’s grinding system in New York isn’t the most beneficial for a player like Nelson. He’ll certainly benefit from playing more in Colorado’s high-octane offensive system.
But the Avalanche will have to pay up to keep Nelson, lest he walks and the Avs lose Ritchie and a first-round pick for nothing.