Why Keeping Brock Nelson is Important for Avs

On Wednesday, the Colorado Avalanche checked a significant deal off its offseason list of things to do. The organization locked up Brock Nelson through the 2027-28 season.

The 33-year-old forward joined the Avalanche via a trade on March 6, sending forward Calum Ritchie, a first-round selection in the 2026 or 2027 NHL Draft, a conditional third-round pick in the 2028 NHL Draft, and defenseman Oliver Kylington to the New York Islanders.

The second-line center scored 13 points in 19 regular-season games playing with several different linemates. But his impact was most significantly seen when Gabriel Landeskog returned in the postseason, after missing the last three regular seasons.

Nelson earned four assists in the seven-game first-round series loss to the Dallas Stars. One was on the captain’s goal in Game 4, and the other three were in combination with Landeskog. The two found chemistry quickly in the tight playoff circumstances.

“I’ve been playing with Val (Nichushkin) for a bit now, and obviously strong game to him — two-way, makes a lot of plays, good skater … and then Gabe, kind of the same thing. Just a simple guy to read off of, great communicator as well,” Nelson said after Game 4. “Last night he was awesome at communicating different plays on the bench, talking about different things even before the game getting ready and wanting to be a difference. All of that makes it, as a player, to read off him pretty easy, and go out there and just play and allow instincts and everything take over. And he made a lot of great plays out there as well.”

It usually takes a game or more for a player to adjust coming back from injury, so it was unknown how long it would take Landeskog after missing three seasons. The transition was fairly quick with skilled, veteran linemates like Nelson. And Avs management did not miss that.

“We’re thrilled to have reached an agreement with Brock to keep him in Colorado for the next three seasons,” GM Chris MacFarland said. “He’s been a great center in this league for a long time, and he brings professionalism and a dedicated work ethic on and off the ice. We think he’s a great fit and is a stabilizing presence to our second-line center role with his size and ability to touch all areas of the ice. We’re excited to see what his contributions will be over a larger sample size with the Avalanche.”

Since winning the Stanley Cup in 2022 and Nazem Kadri’s departure, the Avs have struggled at the 2C position. Evan Rodrigues was a solid fit but only stuck around for a season before signing with the Florida Panthers as a free agent. Ryan Johansen and Casey Mittelstadt were expected to fill the void, respectively, but did not fit the bill. Now the team has found its match.

“Having spent my entire career with one organization, we weren’t totally sure what to expect when we arrived in Denver. But getting the opportunity to play for the Avalanche, to compete with a great group of teammates in that locker room, and in front of the tremendous fans at Ball Arena, we knew this was where we wanted to stay,” Nelson said.

“Obviously the way the season ended last year was disappointing, but I can’t wait to get back on the ice soon and continue to push for our goal of winning the Stanley Cup.”

Nelson had insight from defenseman Devon Toews and former Avs forward Zach Parise on coming to the team.

It seems it was a plan in progress, and it paid off for the Warroad, Minnesota native. He and his family can settle in for the long haul with an extended deal. “My family and I are excited to be staying in Colorado,” he said.