News: 2 days agoNelson and William Dufour were traded to the Avalanche from the Islanders on Thursday in exchange for Oliver Kylington, Calum Ritchie, a conditional first-round pick and a conditional 2028 third-round pick.
Spin: Nelson's tenure with the Islanders, the only team he's known in the NHL since he was drafted 30th overall in 2010, is over. He reached the 20-goal mark nine times in 12 seasons with the club, including this year after scoring in his last game as an Islander on Tuesday versus the Jets. He'll now join a true contender and slot in as the second-line center behind Nathan MacKinnon as the Avalanche look to climb the mountain again. Nelson was one of the top forwards on the market, and while he may end up being a rental for the Avalanche, he's an immediate upgrade over Casey Mittelstadt, who could slip down the lineup, move to the wing or both to accommodate this move.
