New York Islanders Top Five Players Likely Traded Before Expansion

Brock Nelson

He’s a consistent 40 point player at the NHL level. Last season he even put up 45 points for a career year, in terms of production. Brock Nelson is a good second line player for any NHL team to have.

That’s, of course, assuming you don’t mind a player who seemingly ghosts in and out of games throughout the course of a season. And could ostensibly give you an even greater return.

Nelson has a single year on his deal worth $2.5 million. For what seems to be a guaranteed 40 points that’s a great return on investment.

And if the team that takes him isn’t in a playoff spot at the end of the season they might even be able to flip him for a first rounder at the deadline to a team desperate for goals like Minnesota did this year with 30-year-old Martin Hanzal.

Package him with one of either Travis Hamonic, Calvin de Haan or Thomas Hickey and the Isles have a good base for a top line 60 points per season type of winger.

From what we know about Colorado’s ask for Matt Duchene and even Gabriel Landeskog, a defender and a forward won’t be enough to pry either out of Denver. The Islanders are going to have to include a top level prospect to the mix.