Islanders trade Brock Nelson to Avalanche for first-round pick, prospect

For the first time in his career, Brock Nelson is leaving Long Island.

The New York Islanders traded Nelson and forward William Dufour to the Colorado Avalanche for prospect Calum Ritchie, a first-round pick in either 2026 or 2027, a conditional third-round pick in 2028 and defenceman Oliver Kylington, the teams announced on Thursday.

The Anaheim Ducks announced soon after that they acquired Kylington from the Islanders in exchange for future considerations.

The Islanders will also retain 50 per cent of Nelson’s contract, which is worth $6 million before expiring after this season, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reported.

In 61 games this season, the lanky 33-year-old centre Nelson has registered 43 points (20 goals, 23 assists). He scored at least 34 goals in each of the previous three seasons and skated for the U.S. during the 4 Nations Face-Off.

But the Islanders, who sit 13th in the Eastern Conference with 63 points in 61 games, face long odds on reaching the playoffs.

And so Colorado will get the sniper for a post-season run of their own, where he could provide hard checking and sound defence, as he did on the fourth line for the Americans, in addition to depth scoring.

Nelson had spent his entire 12-year NHL career with the Islanders after being selected 30th overall in the 2010 draft.

It’s the second major trade of the season for the Avalanche, who previously shipped star forward Mikko Rantanen to the Carolina Hurricanes for a package including Martin Necas and Jack Drury.

Dufour, 23, has spent nearly all of the past three seasons with the AHL’s Bridgeport Islanders. He played his lone NHL game in the 2022-23 season but has eight goals and 10 assists in the minors this year.

New York acquires Ritchie, a 20-year-old who was selected 27th overall by the Avalanche in the 2023 NHL Draft.

Ritchie made his NHL debut this season, playing seven games and scoring one goal. In 41 contests with the OHL’s Oshawa Generals, he’s recorded 67 points (14 goals, 53 assists).

The Oakville, Ont., native played for Canada at this year’s world juniors, scoring one goal and one assist in five games.

Kylington, 27, has one goal and three assists in 13 games for Colorado.