The New York Islanders are striving for a wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference and will soon need to make a decision about Brock Nelson’s future with the team. Nelson, who has played 11 years with the Islanders, is a reliable scorer and is on track to reach 30 goals for the third consecutive season. His upcoming contract negotiations could also impact former Islander and current Toronto Maple Leafs captain John Tavares. Both players have one year left on their contracts, and although they had the same number of goals in the previous season, Nelson has outscored Tavares this year. Negotiations could be challenging, as Nelson is getting older and might prefer a longer deal for more money, while the Islanders may not want to overpay him. Management may need to explore trade options for Nelson before the draft to take advantage of interested teams. Additionally, they have other key players, including Kyle Palmieri, Noah Dobson, and Alexander Romanov, with contracts to address. The Maple Leafs also have contract concerns with both Tavares and Mitch Marner, which could be influenced by Nelson’s negotiations.
Islanders Face a Big Contract Decision That Could Affect Leafs’ Tavares’ Next Deal
