The New York Islanders traded Brock Nelson to the Colorado Avalanche yesterday, ahead of the NHL trade deadline. New York also sent prospect William Dufour to the Avalanche as part of the deal, and retained 50 percent of Nelson’s salary.
In exchange, the Islanders acquired a first-round pick in either 2026 or 2027, a conditional third-round pick in 2028, prospect Calum Ritchie, and defenseman Oliver Kylington. Kylington was later flipped to the Anaheim Ducks, for future considerations.
Nelson had been with the Islanders since the time he was drafted in 2010. He played 901 career games with the Islanders, scoring 295 goals and 574 points. This season, Nelson had scored 20 goals and 43 points in 61 games with the team.
But with the center on an expiring contract and the Islanders still a playoff longshot, the move was the right call. Nelson was set to be one of the top free agents available this summer, along with fellow Islanders UFA Kyle Palmieri, who I had ranked as two of the Top 50 Free Agents of 2025 at HockeyComparables.com:
- HockeyComparables.com: Top-50 Free Agents of 2025
While the decision to move Nelson before the deadline made sense, the Islanders also got a pretty great return here.
Calum Ritchie instantly becomes one of the Islanders’ top prospects with the trade. Drafted 27th overall in the 2023 NHL Draft, Ritchie started the season with Colorado at just 19 years old, before eventually being returned to junior hockey. This season, he’s scored 14 goals and 67 points in 41 games with the OHL’s Oshawa Generals.
Meanwhile, the first-round pick in 2026 or 2027 has the potential to carry huge value. The pick would move from 2026 to 2027 if either a) Colorado’s first-round pick in 2026 is sent to the Philadelphia Flyers as part of last year’s Sean Walker trade, which would occur if Colorado’s 2025 first-round pick in the top-10 or 2) if Colorado’s 2026 first-round pick is in the Top-10.
So it’s likely a 2026 first-round pick, but either way, the Islanders are likely to get a really good asset here.
Unfortunately, it doesn’t seem wildly likely that the Islanders will be getting the conditional 2028 third-round pick, as it’ll only transfer if Colorado wins the Stanley Cup this year, and Nelson plays in 50 percent of the Avalanche’s playoff games.
The inclusion of William Dufour also isn’t as notable as it would’ve been a couple of years ago. Dufour was a standout in junior hockey, but that hasn’t necessarily translated in the AHL over the last couple of years.
It’s a little curious that the Islanders didn’t opt to move Kyle Pamieri at the deadline as well though, who was the team’s other notable UFA. Even if the Islanders do get an extension done for Palmieri, it’s tough to argue that re-signing the 34-year-old rather than flipping him for assets was the right call.
In addition to the Nelson trade (and the deal sending Kylington to Anaheim), the Islanders also made a smaller move, dealing Dennis Cholowski to the New Jersey Devils for forward Adam Beckman.
Overall though, the Nelson trade is a positive for New York, acquiring some much-needed future assets in a great return. It would’ve been nice to see them get a bit more done, but the deal still sets the team up to be in a better spot down the road.
New York Islanders Blogger • 
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