NY Islanders center Brock Nelson is in high demand across the NHL 2 months before the trade deadline

Things have not come easy for Brock Nelson in recent times, extending his goalless drought to 17 games on Sunday. Despite being only five points out of playoff position, the NY Islanders don't appear to have the horses to make a serious run deep into the playoffs, meaning a long-time Islander like Nelson may find himself in a different sweater come the end of the season.

Nelson, a top-6 center on just about every team in the NHL, is well in demand as the trade deadline looms, meaning this could be the perfect time for the Islanders to cash in and regain assets as opposed to the risk of allowing Nelson to walk when he hits free agency on July 1.

Frank Seravalli of Daily Faceoff believes Nelson could be the biggest catch at the deadline, ranking him No. 1 on his list of trade targets.

Team's will line up for Brock Nelson

"The center position is at such a scarcity," said Seravalli on Daily Faceoff Live. "There's way more teams looking for centers than there are centers available. So Nelson, to me, stands out as the sort of premier deadline rental center at the center position."

With Nelson ranked in his top spot, sitting behind the Islanders' center are the likes of Yanni Gourde, Dylan Cozens, and Ryan Donato - all players with nowhere near the accolades of Nelson. Because of the lack of centers available, someone like JG Pageau, who has one year remaining on his contract, could also draw significant interest closer to the deadline.

So with the lack of centers available, the position typically being one of the most desired at the deadline, the Islanders will have leverage on their side.

The Islanders will be looking to get younger in terms of any trade made, and that typically comes through the draft, especially with first-round picks. According to Dave Pagnotta of The Fourth Period, the asking price for Nelson and Kyle Palmieri will include a first-round pick in any deal for either of the forwards.

One team to keep an eye on is the Minnesota Wild. Nelson is a native of Warroad, MN, with Wild GM Bill Guerin being a fan of the centerman, selecting him to be part of Team USA's roster at the 4 Nations Face-off when players are having better seasons who weren't selected. While Nelson could be a rental in other places, there's a strong possibility he'd be willing to sign an extension in Minnesota.