Brock Nelson moving up the Islanders' record books
Islanders center Brock Nelson and St. Louis Blues center Brayden Schenn battle of the puck during a face off in the third period on Nov. 23, 2024. Credit: AP/Noah K. Murray
Brock Nelson’s legacy in the Islanders’ record book seems set, regardless of how much longer he actually plays for the organization.
Not that Nelson, a pending unrestricted free agent, was focused either on the history he’s made or his potential future as the Islanders continue a three-game homestand against the Red Wings on Monday night at UBS Arena, part of a stretch of eight of 11 at home.
“That’s just kind of all speculation for everybody,” Nelson told Newsday when asked about the NHL's March 7 trade deadline when he could be one of the most sought-after rentals. “For me, it’s just one day at a time. I’ve been semi in this spot before [as a pending UFA in 2019] and you’ve just got to go out there and play and you can’t worry about anything else. Everything will take care of itself.”
Nelson, who turned 33 last month, moved into a ninth-place tie with John Tonelli on the Islanders’ all-time list with 544 points after notching a goal and two assists in Saturday night’s 3-1 win over the visiting Blues. He passed Bob Bourne (542 points) earlier in the game. His power-play goal was the 43rd of his career, passing John Tavares for the fourth most in team history. He enters Monday four goals shy of tying Pat LaFontaine and Brent Sutter for the fifth most in Islanders history with 287.
Bourne and Tonelli, who both won four Stanley Cups, are in the Islanders’ Hall of Fame, and Sutter, who won two Cups, will be inducted in January.
Nelson, in the last year of a six-year, $36 million deal, said he’s not thinking too much about his place in the team’s record book.
“I’ve been fortunate to be part of the team here for a long time,” said Nelson, in his 12th season with the Islanders, who drafted him 30th overall in 2010. “Maybe it’s something I’ll think about later on.
“You hear those names and you think back to the teams in the 1980s and what they accomplished,” Nelson said. “Those guys are legends.”
The closest Nelson has come to lifting the Cup was losing in the NHL semifinals to the eventual winners, the Lightning, in both 2020 and 2021.
He’s also led the Islanders either in goals or points for each of the past five seasons.
Nelson enters Monday’s match with eight goals and five assists in 21 games and has shown, so far, that age has not slowed his performance.
“He’s really taking care of himself off the ice,” said coach Patrick Roy, a Hall of Fame goalie. “[Hall of Famer] Larry Robinson said something to me at the beginning of my career. ‘Take care of your body and your body will take care of you.’ And I guess that’s what Brock does.”
Whether Nelson, who grew up in Warroad, Minnesota, and still spends the offseason in his home state, re-signs with the Islanders may hinge on how long a contract he’s seeking and, obviously, at what price.
Asked whether he identifies as a hockey player or as an Islander, Nelson said, “They probably go hand in hand. Raising a family here, it helps put a lot of things in perspective. Great wife at home, great kids [four]. Whatever happens, happens and you take it and you figure it out. But we love the area here.
“So much of my life, almost a majority, has been spent on the Island. It’s funny when people say, ‘Are you going home back to Minnesota?’ Minnesota definitely still is home. All of our family is there. But we still don’t know the area we live there as well as we do here. We’ve been here so long and it’s nine, 10 months of the year.”
Notes & quotes
Semyon Varlamov will start against the Red Wings, but Roy said Ilya Sorokin would be back in net against the visiting Bruins on Wednesday night after making 24 saves against the Blues. The Islanders are also at Washington on Friday afternoon and host the Sabres the next night. “We have a pretty good idea of what we want to do,” Roy said. “It’s always subject to change…” Defenseman Grant Hutton and forward Hudson Fasching remain the healthy scratches.
Where Brock Nelson ranks in Islanders history
POINTS
1. Bryan Trottier 1,353
2. Mike Bossy 1,126
3. Denis Potvin 1,052
4. Clark Gillies 663
5. John Tavares 621
6. Brent Sutter 610
7. Josh Bailey 580
8. Pat LaFontaine 566
9. John Tonelli 544
9. Brock Nelson 544
GOALS
1. Mike Bossy 573
2. Bryan Trottier 500
3. Denis Potvin 310
4. Clark Gillies 304
5. Brent Sutter 287
5. Pat LaFontaine 287
7. Brock Nelson 283
8. John Tavares 272
9. Anders Lee 267
10. Bob Bourne 238
GAMES PLAYED
1. Bryan Trottier 1,123
2. Denis Potvin 1,060
3. Josh Bailey 1,057
4. Bob Nystrom 900
5. Clark Gillies 872
6. Brock Nelson 861
7. Casey Cizikas 836
8. Matt Martin 833
9. Bob Bourne 814
10. Anders Lee 780
Andrew Gross joined Newsday in 2018 to cover the Islanders. He began reporting on the NHL in 2003 and has previously covered the Rangers and Devils. Other assignments have included the Jets, St. John’s and MLB.
