Islanders trade Brock Nelson, but core remains intact

SAN JOSE, Calif. — Brock Nelson practiced with the Avalanche in Denver on Friday. Yet, perhaps surprisingly, there were no other key members of his former team missing from the Islanders’ practice at Sharks Ice.

President/general manager Lou Lamoriello did not trade fellow forwards Jean-Gabriel Pageau and Anders Lee despite teams inquiring about them, with the Hurricanes believed to have made a strong offer for Pageau. Plus, the expectation is pending unrestricted free agent Kyle Palmieri will soon sign a contract extension expected to be for two or three seasons at an annual average value just slightly less than his current $5 million salary-cap hit.

Lamoriello’s only other deal prior to Friday’s NHL trade deadline was sending seldom-used defenseman Dennis Cholowski to the Devils for minor-league forward Adam Beckman, who will report to the Islanders’ AHL affiliate in Bridgeport.

The Islanders open a three-game California swing against the Sharks on Saturday night at SAP Center still hoping to make a longshot playoff push.

“A stressful week,” said Palmieri of Smithtown, completing a four-year, $20 million deal. “Ultimately my focus hasn’t changed. I want to be here and I want to be fighting for a playoff spot with these guys. It’s actually a lot easier when you’re playing games. The last couple of days and waiting and hanging out here were tough.”

The Islanders flew to the West Coast on Wednesday but did not practice on Thursday. Palmieri said he learned early Friday morning he would not be traded.

Nelson, a pending UFA completing a six-year, $36 million deal, had rejected Lamoriello’s final contract offer — believed to be for three years at $7.5 million per season — and was traded to the Avalanche along with forward prospect William Dufour late Thursday night for a healthy haul of a first-round pick in either 2026 or 2027, a conditional third-round pick in 2028, junior hockey forward Calum Ritchie, the 27th pick in 2023, and defenseman Oliver Kylington, who was immediately flipped to the Ducks for future considerations.

“Little bit of a whirlwind,” Nelson, fourth on the Islanders’ all-time list with 901 games played, told the media after his first practice with his new team. “A lot of emotions but it was nice to get out there and play.”

The Islanders had a team dinner on Thursday that served as a farewell party for Nelson once it became clear he would be traded.
“You should have asked me the same question last night,” coach Patrick Roy said after practice when asked for his emotions on Nelson being traded. “But today I’m good. It’s always tough to see a guy like him leave, but it’s a business. Right now, we have to find a way to rally and have a good push and find a way to surprise everybody.”

The Islanders selected Nelson 30th overall in 2010 and he came up alongside many still in the organization such as Lee and Casey Cizikas as well as defensemen Adam Pelech, Ryan Pulock and Scott Mayfield.

“It’s not easy,” Cizikas said. “It’s the business we’re in. It’s kind of the crappy part of what we do. We’ve been together for 12, 13 years. Pretty much grew up together. Our sons play on the same team. They’ve grown up together. You go through deadlines all the time and you understand the direction you’re heading in going into it. But I think this one is kind of different.”

“On a personal level it’s just weird,” Lee said. “We spent a lot of time together. A lot of great time and shared a lot of great experiences and grew up together in many ways. We started families at the same time. You can’t prepare for how you’re going to feel about it. You just have this hope that everything will work out.”

Notes & quotes: Goalie Marcus Hogberg (upper body/injured reserve) practiced with the team for the first time since getting hurt on Jan. 25. “I don’t know where that puts him but the fact that he was on the ice was a good sign,” Roy said . . . Forward Matt Martin (lower body/IR) and defenseman Mike Reilly (heart condition/long-term injured reserve) continued to practice with the Islanders . . . Goalie Ilya Sorokin is expected to make his 32nd start in the last 38 games on Saturday.