THW’s Team Writers Put Together Their Best Offers For Islanders’ Nelson – The Hockey Writers Latest News, Analysis & More

With Mikko Rantanen and J.T. Miller off the trade board, the best player available ahead of the 2025 Trade Deadline is Brock Nelson, a player teams love to add for a playoff push and a Cup run.

Nelson’s an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season, but considering he’s a top-six center who can score, the New York Islanders and general manager Lou Lamoriello, specifically, have the advantage and will wait for the best offer.

Which team will put together the best offer to acquire Nelson? That’s what The Hockey Writers team considered, and below are the best offers we came up with from teams that might be interested in Nelson. In the end, I play the role of GM and decide which deal to make (and in this case, Lamoriello is willing to move Nelson after extension talks fall through).

Dallas Stars

The Offer (Marc Sautter): Mavrik Bourque

The Dallas Stars have become a super team in recent seasons with star power and elite young talent throughout the roster. It’s a credit to the type of teams GM Jim Nill has constructed and having a pipeline that continues to produce great players. Jason Robertson burst on the scene a few seasons back, Wyatt Johnston emerged as an elite scorer last season, while Logan Stankoven is the young rising Star this season.

Related: Islanders’ Patrick Roy Has Put Himself in the Jack Adams Award Discussion

The surplus of prospects allows the Stars to move a player like Marvik Bourque for a rental. They need a middle-six scorer and can give up the 23-year-old forward to do so. Bourque has shown potential with eight goals and eight assists in his first season at the NHL level, and it’s why the Islanders would trade Nelson in a one-for-one deal for him.

Minnesota Wild

The Offer (Mariah Stark-Holland): Ryan Hartman & Michael Milne

Did Ryan Hartman peak in 2021-22, or is the talent still there, and he just needs a change of scenery? He was a 30-goal scorer and a key part of the top six, but he’s struggled this season, and his recent suspension doesn’t help his case, either. Regardless, it might be best for the Minnesota Wild to trade him, and the Islanders might be willing to risk adding him to their forward unit.

The talent is there, and it’s all about putting it together. By acquiring Hartman, the Islanders would have a forward in their lineup with multiple years left on his contract. Throw in Michael Milne, a prospect who can be a middle-six skater in the future, and a Nelson deal could easily be executed.

The Wild have leverage in a Nelson trade since they can acquire and extend the Minnesota native. It’s why GM Bill Guerin might be more willing to part with a top prospect or throw in another piece to make the deal work. Nelson not only helps their offense this season, but he also becomes a key part of their roster for years to come.

Vegas Golden Knights

The Offer (Cooper Krigbaum): 2025 Second-Round Pick & 2026 Conditional Third-Round Pick

I wouldn’t put it past the Vegas Golden Knights to make an offer for Nelson. The Golden Knights always seem to have a big move up their sleeve at the deadline, whether it’s the Tomas Hertl trade or the Noah Hanifin addition. With one of the best records in the Pacific Division, they will make a big move, and Nelson is the type of player they need to round out their top six.

The problem is that Vegas doesn’t have much to offer. They don’t have a first-round pick until the 2027 NHL Entry Draft and their farm system is depleted. So, the most they can offer is a second-round pick in this draft and a conditional third-round pick that can become a second-round selection. Lamoriello would have to be desperate to take an offer like that, and he’d probably prefer to make no move at all than trade Nelson for pennies on the dollar.

Winnipeg Jets

The Offer (Declan Schroeder): Logan Stanley & 2025 First-Round Pick

When the Winnipeg Jets acquired Sean Monahan at the 2024 Trade Deadline, they gave up a first-round pick in the 2024 NHL Entry Draft and a conditional third-round pick in 2027. The expectation is for GM Kevin Cheveldayoff to offer the same thing for Nelson, a top-six center who is a rental.

Adding Logan Stanley to the deal would entice Lamoriello to make the trade more than adding another pick. The Jets have a logjam on their third defense pair, which makes Stanley expendable, and for the Islanders, he’s a bigger and more physical defenseman they’d like to add to their unit. This haul gives Lamoriello a player to help the team in the immediate future but also a first-round pick to help strengthen an otherwise depleted prospect pool.

Which Offer Do The Islanders Take?

The Jets have an intriguing offer with Stanley as the NHL-ready defenseman in the deal. That said, the Wild provide what the Islanders are looking for. By adding Hartman, they would have a middle-six forward who can add stability to the offense for seasons, and there’s a good chance Milne will do the same in a few years. The Islanders have a core to build or retool around and need the depth skaters to add to that group. That’s what the Wild are offering.

This project was a reminder that the trade deadline is a buyer’s market. A lot of teams would love to have Nelson in their lineup, but few are willing to trade future assets to add him. That’s why the returns on these deals seem underwhelming for a player of Nelson’s caliber. It also explains why the best time to trade an elite talent is early, making the Rantanen, Miller, and even the Jacob Trouba deals look like wise ones.

Which team’s offer would you take? Let us know in the comments section below.