One of the best players in New York Islanders history is heading west.
Brock Nelson, the 33-year old center who ranks fourth in team history in games played and fifth in goals, is the newest member of the Colorado Avalanche.
Colorado announced the deal early Friday morning. Nelson is joined heading to the Avalanche by William Dufour.
The Islanders in return pick up defenseman Oliver Kylington, forward Calum Ritchie, a 2026 first-round pick and a 2028 conditional third-round pick.
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The 33-year old Nelson was a stalwart for the Islanders since they drafted him 30th overall in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft.
In each of the last three seasons, Nelson has scored 34 or more goals and finished with at least 59 points.
This season, the lefty-shooting center has 20 goals and 23 assists in 61 games played, tied for tops in points put up by an Islanders player this season.
The Avalanche currently have the sixth-most points in the Western Conference, and the deal was announced shortly after Colorado put their seventh goal of the night past the San Jose Sharks en route to a 7-3 win.
The Islanders, although not fully eliminated, do sit outside of the Eastern Conference playoff field as of the trading deadline.
Nelson, who played for the United States at the recent 4 Nations Faceoff, is a solid acquisition as a middle-six center who has 50 points in 78 career playoff games.
Dufour is 23 years old and has played in just one NHL game, back in 2023. He currently has 18 points in the American Hockey League this season.
Ritchie is a promising 20-year old with 67 points in 41 OHL games this winter. The Islanders reportedly flipped Kylington, a 27-year old defenseman, on to Anaheim for cash considerations.
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