Player Discussion: Brock Nelson

[duster19]

Besides Duchene, who is the center we can get that's better than Nelson? No one on the free agency side. Not sure who is available via trade, but you don't see many centers better than Nelson getting traded. We have to re-sign him. He may not be ideal, but we would regress without him. Upgrade on the wings and 3C and we will be better.

Have to resign Nelson. Every other option is too risky. Try and upgrade Fils centre spot.

 

[seafoam]

Besides Duchene, who is the center we can get that's better than Nelson? No one on the free agency side. Not sure who is available via trade, but you don't see many centers better than Nelson getting traded. We have to re-sign him. He may not be ideal, but we would regress without him. Upgrade on the wings and 3C and we will be better.

I think Hayes is a bit better.

 

[Seph]

That is a lottery offensive unit. There is noway we go into next season looking like that.

Everyone said the same thing about our top 6 last fall.

 

[majormet]

As Long as Trotz is coach Nelson will evolve into a masterful 3 zone center... he was our MVP this year

 

[boredmale]

Besides Duchene, who is the center we can get that's better than Nelson? No one on the free agency side. Not sure who is available via trade, but you don't see many centers better than Nelson getting traded. We have to re-sign him. He may not be ideal, but we would regress without him. Upgrade on the wings and 3C and we will be better.

Not that I think he will be traded or he wants to since he has a NMC, but I wonder it Getzlaf could be available. Ducks may decide after this year best to retool and they can get a pretty good package for Getzlaf

Hindsight being 20/20 I really wish we traded for O'Reilly(but fears of a draft pick haunting us was my big concern last summer). Hopefully somebody like O'Reilly comes on the market

 

[seafoam]

Nelson is going to be an X-factor in the Pittsburgh series.

If he can match up against one of Crosby/Malkin successfully, Cizikas/Filppula should be able split the rest of the 87/71 matchups.

That will hopefully open up some offense for Barzal. Plus, Nelson is still playing for a contract.

 

[periferal]

Nelson is going to be an X-factor in the Pittsburgh series.

If he can match up against one of Crosby/Malkin successfully, Cizikas/Filppula should be able split the rest of the 87/71 matchups.

That will hopefully open up some offense for Barzal. Plus, Nelson is still playing for a contract.

Nelson, "Needed someone to believe in him."

That is more a comment about the previous regime than anything.

 

[IslandersFan17]

I'm keeping Brock 110%

 

[PK Cronin]

“In the past, people in the organization could tell you better, but I don’t think there was enough appreciation for his game,” Trotz said. “They wanted him to be something he wasn’t in that third hole. We played them a few times a year, in the playoffs, I always thought there was a better player in there.”

This is a big thing that fans often forget. They want players to be able to perform no matter where they are in the lineup and no matter what role they are given. It's unrealistic to expect that and it's a huge reason why roster construction is so important.

 

[Islanders4Cups]

So you now want him long term at second line center?
I don’t.

 

[PK Cronin]

So you now want him long term at second line center?
I don’t.

I personally don't. I'd prefer an upgrade, but the team might not have a choice.

 

[PWJunior]

So you now want him long term at second line center?
I don’t.

There really aren't that many options available. He could be a fantastic #3C when Lou can find a real #2C to support Barzal. For now, this Trotz version of Nelson is pretty solid and worth keeping.

 

[ekill08x]

Fans continuing to forget we don’t sign free agents. Letting Brock go for nothing is a very stupid move.

 

[seafoam]

So you now want him long term at second line center?
I don’t.

Taken straight from the article...

He led the 2018-19 Isles forwards in ice time and his 22 even-strength goals put him in elite company, tied with Florida’s Aleksandr Barkov and Columbus’ Artemi Panarin and one ahead of Boston’s David Pastrnak and St. Louis’ Vladimir Tarasenko.

Not sure how you’re gonna get much better than that.

 

[Islanders4Cups]

I personally don't. I'd prefer an upgrade, but the team might not have a choice.

LL has the choice to simply not sign him long term as a second line center
I am sure Nelson will get offers longer term that LL will not accept.

Let’s just say Brock is not good on the Powerplay averaging about 2 minutes per game over the last two seasons.
4-4-8 last season
2-6-8 this season

That is abysmal.

Brock proved how bad he was last season on the 3rd line with no talented support. He does not make players around him better. Surrounded with more talent, Brock scores his 20-25 goals and looks much better.
He does not bring shutdown center skills and I would rather resign Filppula for line 3 or Nelson on line 2 short term than commit long term to Nelson unfortunately.

Brock has to commit to a decent raise short term or I predict he is gone. Better yet the Isles need a 1-2 line center and 1 line winger this offseason

 

[TeamKidd]

I personally don't. I'd prefer an upgrade, but the team might not have a choice.

if it means we back up the truck for Panarin then im okay with it. Rather Nelson than Duchene

 

[Seph]

I think Hayes is a bit better.

Agreed. Would also include Dzingel in the list of UFA centers better than Nelson.

That said, I do think Nelson will be the easiest to sign, so we shouldn't rule him out as an option either.

 

[Chapin Landvogt]

Agreed. Would also include Dzingel in the list of UFA centers better than Nelson.

That said, I do think Nelson will be the easiest to sign, so we shouldn't rule him out as an option either.

I'm pretttttty certain Dzingel is a winger and solely a winger.

 

[Macch]

I'm pretttttty certain Dzingel is a winger and solely a winger.

He is. Brock is also better than him in almost every way.

 

[crasherino]

if it means we back up the truck for Panarin then im okay with it. Rather Nelson than Duchene

Islanders need more talent on the top 6. Nelson is a perfectly adequate #2C if he has a winger like Panarin there. If we overpay Panarin (which I'm fine with - no other choice, really) and re-sign Nelson, our top 6 changes dramatically. Goes from "meh" to dangerous with one player.

After that, I'm fine with signing the 2019 version of Val Filppula. Especially if that player is Val Filppula.

I'm fine with spending $16m/yr on Nelson and Panarin, cause that's what its gonna take. Like it or not.

 

[Seph]

I'm pretttttty certain Dzingel is a winger and solely a winger.

He was a center back in college, and I'm pretty sure he played some center for Ottawa. But if not, my bad, I haven't followed him super closely. I still like his game more than Brock's though.

 

[Richie Daggers Crime]

Let’s just say Brock is not good on the Powerplay averaging about 2 minutes per game over the last two seasons.

I really hate him on the power-play and that's why I don't think you can talk about him in lofty terms, despite his effectiveness 5v5. He's opportunistic enough to score at even strength, but doesn't have the ability to carve up defenses on the PP. If this is his true form, he'd be a luxurious 3c in my opinion. The team really needs a top 6 forward that can fill the net and do damage on the PP.

 

[Thrasymachus]

So you now want him long term at second line center?
I don’t.

Dude our offense is terrible as it is and you want to let this guy walk? Beggars cant be choosers

 

[Thrasymachus]

Also this talk of Panarin is a road to disappointment. Sounds like Panarin to Florida is a near sure thing.

I think the biggest advantage to beating Pittsburgh is that it would send a clear message to free agents that we are for real. This offseason is extremely important. We don't really have any offensive dynamos in the system, we desperately need to add offense. Resigning Lee and Nelson isn't enough.

 

[doublechili]

Until we have a new arena, we may need to sign Brock. But if that's the case it has to be a reasonable contract. And then draft Cs and hope one of them takes over the 2C at some point on an ELC and we have the best 3C in the league.