When Alex DeBrincat got dealt to the Detroit Red Wings on Sunday night it left Islander fans with disappointment as Lou’s search for a top flight winger continues to evade him. With DeBrincat off the market and the free agent market dried up when it comes to scoring wingers the Isles GM has an uphill battle to face when it comes to finally landing that coveted sniper to flank Mat Barzal or Bo Horvat. Or Does it? If Lou exhausts all options on the trade market and finds nothing, the answer might reside from the inside, in the form of a 6’4” lanky center hailing from Warroad, MN.
That is none other than Brock Nelson. When Barry Trotz came on board for the 2018-2019 season it was Brock Nelson who might have benefitted the most. Prior to Trotz, Brock Nelson was a player who would give you 20-25 goals but leave a lot to be desired in his game and for far too many stretches often disappeared. However, during that season, something clicked. In that first year under Trotz, Nelson scored 25 goals and recorded a new career high in points with 53. Points aside, Trotz instilled his trust with Nelson and was often used in key matchup situations and uncorked an untapped asset in Nelson becoming a true two way-center. Since then, Nelson has continued to evolve and get better. At 30 and 31 years old respectively Nelson recorded back to back career highs in goals and points, 37 goals and 59 points in 2021-2022 and than shattered that career high with 75pts and 36 goals in 2022-2023.
That brings us to the current day and predicament. Brock Nelson owns the best shot and release on the Islanders. He frequently beats goalies clean with his wrist shot and creates offense on his own. Why not try your best goal scorer on the wing? The Islanders are afforded that luxury being they also have natural centers in Mat Barzal, Bo Horvat and JGP to run down the middle. One could make the argument of why mess with moving Brock Nelson away from the position that he has grown so much playing in, which is fair question. But with the outside options looking bleak, why not try putting your most skilled and explosive talent in Mat Barzal with your best pure goal scorer in Brock Nelson. Maybe we’ll find out come October.
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