Upcoming free agent Brock Nelson of the New York Islanders has been connected to the Toronto Maple Leafs. On Friday’s TSN Overdrive, Leafs insider Mike Johnson talked about Toronto’s continued quest to strengthen their center position. Nelson’s name emerged as a notable option among those the team is considering. While there’s no deal on the horizon, the Leafs have shown interest in exploring the possibility of acquiring him.
Toronto is currently first in the Atlantic Division, holding a three-point lead over the Florida Panthers. However, a rash of injuries, including team captain Auston Matthews, has accelerated the Leafs’ search for center depth.
The New York Islanders find themselves in an intriguing spot. They’re just six points behind the Washington Capitals for third place in the Metropolitan Division, and Saturday’s significant victory over the St. Louis Blues has moved them within two points of the Boston Bruins for the second wildcard spot. Additionally, the Islanders are only four points behind the New York Rangers for the first wildcard position.
As such, Isles GM Lou Lamoriello could very well sit on his hands at this point and see how the next quarter of the season unfolds. Trading Nelson would be a tacit implication that the Isles are throwing in the towel on this season unless the return is overwhelming.
While the exact return remains uncertain, it appears the Leafs are open to making a deal if the conditions are favorable.
As for whether the New York Islanders could realistically trade Brock Nelson, I would say there’s an 80/20 chance they hold onto him rather than move him. Given the Islanders’ current position, with playoff contention still within reach, it seems unlikely they would trade Nelson at this time.
Despite the Islanders’ struggles to score this season, trading Brock Nelson would likely cripple their offensive output even further. There is no other center on the roster capable of stepping into his role and driving the attack effectively.
Given this, it would be wise for the Islanders to hold onto Nelson at least until the midway point of the season. There’s a chance they could go on a run and position themselves for a playoff push in the Eastern Conference.
Rather than selling, the Islanders should focus on adding pieces. Unless their season takes a drastic downturn by Christmas, they should be looking to acquire talent at the trade deadline, particularly another scoring winger and additional defensive depth.
Both of the Islanders’ needs—scoring help and defensive depth—could potentially be addressed through the trade market. However, I suspect GM Lou Lamoriello may also monitor the waiver wire closely, especially as teams like the Leafs begin to get players back from injury. The next four to five weeks will be crucial for the Islanders, as their season remains on a knife’s edge, and it will be interesting to see how things unfold.