When the New York Islanders drafted Brock Nelson 30th overall in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft, they believed he would be a big, strong top-six center who could produce offensively. Under former head coach Jack Capuano, it took Nelson some time to acclimate to the NHL level and a few years of inconsistent play before developing into the player he is now. When Barry Trotz was hired by the Islanders in the summer of 2018, he couldn’t believe Nelson was slotted as the third-line center the previous year for this group.
“In the past, people in the organization could tell you better, but I don’t think there was enough appreciation for his game,” Trotz said. “They wanted him to be something he wasn’t in that third hole. We played them a few times a year, in the playoffs, I always thought there was a better player in there” (from ‘‘He needed someone to believe in him’: Brock Nelson’s rise into the Islanders’ rock under Barry Trotz’, The Athletic, 4/8/19). The Warroad, Minnesota native has now turned into the most productive offensive player for the Islanders in the past three seasons.
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Nelson has developed into a great skater and has one of the most accurate shots around the league. He finished the 2022-23 season with a team-leading 36 goals and 75 points and also made his first NHL All-Star Game appearance. It was also the second consecutive season that he reached at least 35 goals. There is no doubt in terms of production, the Islanders offense goes as far as Nelson does. He has quietly developed into one of the most underrated players in the league and is on a team-friendly deal. General manager (GM) Lou Lamoriello signed him to a six-year deal with an average annual value (AAV) of $6 million back in May 2019. For the numbers that he has put up the past few seasons, it is turning out to be one of the best contracts in the league.
Elite Scorer and Playoff Performer
Without question in the regular season, Nelson has become one of the best scorers across the league. Over the past three seasons, he has 91 goals and 167 points in 210 games. Only 20 players in the league had more goals in that time period. Last season, he found a ton of success on the second line with Kyle Palmieri and Pierre Engvall. With Palmieri under contract and Engvall signing a seven-year extension in the offseason, the trio will likely spend more time playing together and continuing to develop chemistry in 2023-24.
Not only has Nelson been an elite regular season forward, but he has also come through for the Islanders in the postseason. During the 2019-20 playoff bubble run, he put up 18 points in 22 games. The next year, during the 2020-21 postseason, he had 12 points in 19 games and contributed seven goals along the way. He has a knack for scoring big goals and doesn’t seem to be showing any signs of slowing down. In the past two seasons, there has been a noticeable increase in his shot production, which has also led to an increase in scoring. There is no denying the skill level that he has and how important he is to this organization.
An Underrated Player
If you aren’t a fan of the Islanders or aren’t able to watch them on a nightly basis, you would not realize the value that Nelson has. He continues to grow his game by improving on his skating and shooting the puck more. He set a career-high in shots on goal (SOG) this season as well, with 222 shots in 82 games. He has earned the title of being one of the most underrated players in the league and even some of his teammates agree. “I think he’s been an underrated player in this league for quite a few years,” Pulock said. “Obviously seeing him every day, you see him practice, you see it in games how skilled he is, how smart he is” (from ‘Islanders’ Brock Nelson making his case for most underrated player in the NHL’, The Athletic, 12/20/22).
Nelson also has incredible playmaking abilities and his long stride makes him a strong skater when he enters the offensive zone. He has garnered respect this season around the league from his peers as well. “He’s just a really solid player,” New Jersey Devils center Jack Hughes said. “Can score, can put the puck in the net. Solid defensively and offensively. He’s been a staple in that lineup for a lot of years. He’s a really good player” (from ‘Islanders’ Brock Nelson finally getting due at first All-Star weekend’, NY Post, 2/3/23).
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It has truly been a treat to watch Nelson develop into the player he is today. He is entering his 11th season with the organization and by the end of his career, he will likely be a top ten Islander of all time. If they are going to contend for a playoff spot again this season he will have to lead the way.