The Colorado Avalanche was Brock Nelson's preferred destination in a trade from the NY Islanders

Last night was Brock Nelson's first game outside of an NY Islanders uniform, having an immediate impact with the Colorado Avalanche.

About five seconds into his first shift, Nelson rang a shot off the post, and moments later, Valeri Nichushkin scored to give the Avs a 1-0 lead. Nelson recorded his first point of the night on Nichushkin's second of the night, as the Avs won a back-and-forth game, 7-4.

After all the madness of Friday, more information is coming out that Colorado was Nelson's top choice if Lou Lamoriello were to deal him.

Nelson wanted Colorado

"Colorado was his first choice," said Darren Dreger on the Ray & Dregs podcast. "When you have no-trade protection, and he identified... that's what it's for! Brock Nelson says I want to go to Colorado, Lou Lamoriello works out a deal with Colorado, Brock Nelson ends up in Colorado."

Devon Toews, who spent two seasons with Nelson on Long Island, was traded to the Avs as the Islanders were pressed up against the cap ceiling, and has emerged as one of the top defensemen in the NHL. Knowing what a close-knit group the players in the Islanders locker room have been, Toews appears to be one of the reasons Nelson wanted to land in Colorado.

"I've known Taser (Toews) for a bit, I've talked to him a bit over the years too, just a little bit about the style of play and what not," said Nelson after last night's Avalanche debut. "You never really know when the situation arises what's going to happen, but to be a part of this group I think is going to be a good fit. Trying to mesh as fast as I can and be a good support guy for them."

Toews is now in his fifth year with the Avalanche, already hoisting the Stanley Cup once and becoming one-half of what most consider the best defensive pairing in the league alongside Cale Makar. But he remembers coming into this league and turning to Nelson as a veteran who he could turn to for guidance.

"My first couple years in the league, I relied on him (Nelson) a lot," Toews said after Friday's practice. "Just learning how to be a pro, what it takes, you know, where I'm going, where we're going out to eat and he took care of me."

The Avs sit in third place in the Central Division with 78 points, currently set up to play the Dallas Stars in the first round of the playoffs.