Nelson traded to Avalanche by Islanders

Brock Nelson was traded to the Colorado Avalanche by the New York Islanders on Thursday for defenseman Oliver Kylington, forward prospect Calum Ritchie, a conditional first-round pick in the 2026 NHL Draft, and a conditional third-round pick in the 2028 NHL Draft.

Colorado also received forward prospect William Dufour in the deal, which New York followed up by trading Kylington to the Anaheim Ducks for future considerations.

Nelson has 43 points (20 goals, 23 assists) in 61 games this season. The 33-year-old forward led the Islanders in goals in each of the previous five seasons, including scoring at least 34 goals in each of the previous three.

Nelson is in the final season of a six-year contract he signed with New York on May 23, 2019.

"I think it's a huge add. Huge add," Avalanche coach Jared Bednar said following the team's 7-3 win against the San Jose Sharks. "Looking at how hard it is come playoff time and you're adding a player of Brock's caliber: center position, big, long, strong, can skate, highly productive, getting better with age. He's always been a trusted 200-foot player, and if you look at his history, he's scoring 30-plus goals most years, too. So, to get a player of that caliber is hard to do, and I think it's an amazing add for our team."

Selected by the Islanders in the first round (No. 30) of the 2010 NHL Draft, Nelson has 574 points (295 goals, 279 assists) in 901 regular-season games, and 50 points (27 goals, 23 assists) in 78 Stanley Cup Playoff games.

"You're looking to improve your team, and [center is] an area where I think we can improve our team, and especially if we can add a guy like Brock, right?" Bednar said. "And the size (6-foot-4, 205 pounds) only helps in the playoffs. And not only is he big, but he can skate, too."

Dufour has 18 points (eight goals, 10 assists) in 45 games with Bridgeport of the American Hockey League this season. The 23-year-old forward, who was selected by New York in the fifth round (No. 152) of the 2020 NHL Draft, has played in one NHL game (in 2022-23).

Ritchie scored one goal in seven NHL games this season and has 67 points (14 goals, 53 assists) in 41 games for Oshawa of the Ontario Hockey League. The 20-year-old was Colorado's first-round pick (No. 27) in the 2023 NHL Draft.

Ritchie signed his three-year, entry-level contract with the Avalanche on July 8, 2024.

Kylington, 27, has four points (one goal, three assists) in 13 games this season, his first with Colorado after signing a one-year contract on Aug. 5.

Selected by the Calgary Flames in the second round (No. 60) of the 2015 NHL Draft, Kylington has 59 points (18 goals, 41 assists) in 214 regular-season games with the Flames and Avalanche, and three points (one goal, two assists) in 12 playoff games.

Colorado (37-24-2), which has won four in a row, is tied with the Minnesota Wild for third place in the Central Division.

New York (28-26-7) is four points behind the Ottawa Senators for the second wild card from the Eastern Conference.

"I think it means that they believe in in our group," Bednar said about the price it took to get Nelson. "Now the responsibility, I guess, really doesn't change. It's on us to go and play well ... and you have to be playing well enough that [management] thinks you can go beat whoever it is that we're playing round one, two, three, four. So, you're kind of comparing your team against everyone, especially in your conference, to start out, and thinking of some of the challenges, like whether we get in and we play Vegas, Dallas, Winnipeg, whoever it is. And there's some challenges with all those teams. So, that's why I think a guy like Brock can really help us down the stretch if we get a spot, and I think he can help us in the playoffs. He's a really good player."

Regarding the draft picks the Islanders received in the trade, if the first-round pick in the 2026 draft is transferred to the Philadelphia Flyers due to the terms of the trade for Sean Walker on March 6, 2024, or it is not transferred but falls in the top 10, then Colorado will send its first-round pick in the 2027 NHL Draft to New York.

"We would have liked to have kept Brock," Islanders general manager Lou Lamoriello said Saturday. "I won't apologize for that. You have a center iceman like that, and just can't lose a player like that. It's hard to replace, but we made an offer that we felt was fair and for the length of terms that we felt was good for him and what he can bring to the team, and it wasn't enough. And so that's when you make that decision that's best for the organization. Now see what can and can't be done. And we had somewhat of an indication, and we had to get back a top prospect."

For the conditions of the third-round pick in the 2028 draft to be met, the Avalanche need to win the Stanley Cup this season and have Nelson play in at least 50 percent of their playoff games.

"It's tough,” Islanders forward Kyle Palmieri said Friday. “I mean, you play a long time. There's not too many guys you spend a lot of time with as linemates. Especially for me, in my career, I haven't had someone as steady and for our group.

“He's a great player, a great teammate and a leader. So, it's tough to see a guy like that go, but I think the message in here is it's an opportunity for someone to step up and be a leader and take over the things that we relied on with ‘Nelly,’ and we wish him nothing but the best."

NHL.com independent correspondents Ryan Boulding, Stefen Rosner and Max Miller contributed to this report.