The New Jersey Devils reportedly went after some big names during the NHL Trade Deadline. They tried to get Ryan O'Reilly, but his price was reportedly insane. Some tried to tie them to Mikko Rantanen, but that never felt right. Others that were likely targets of the Devils include Dylan Cozens, Brayden Schenn, and Rickard Rakell.
One player who was constantly tied to the Devils was New York Islanders forward Brock Nelson. Lou Lamoriello was trying to get a ton for Nelson, and he did. The Colorado Avalanche gave the Islanders defenseman Oliver Kylington, forward prospect Calum Ritchie, a conditional first-round pick in the 2026 NHL Draft, and a conditional third-round pick in the 2028 NHL Draft.
This was quite the price for a 33-year-old player in today's NHL. Nelson was playing well, and he had three consecutive 30-goal seasons prior to this season. He had six goals over the final 19 games of the season. However, in the postseason, Nelson failed to score a goal for the first time in his career (not including the one game he played in 2013).
That lack of scoring when it matters will likely end his time in Colorado. With Nelson looking for a new home, one analyst is predicting New Jersey as Nelson's new home. Lyle Richardson with Bleacher Report believes Nelson and the Devils are a match. Richardson points out the Devils need a third-line center, and Nelson would be drawn to return to the area he called home for his entire career. While Long Island isn't New Jersey, it's pretty easy to keep your home and your family's life by playing for both franchises.
Most Devils fans are circling Kyle Palmieri as the former Islanders player to sign this offseason, but Nelson would be an interesting risk. While he is older, if he takes the appropriate pay adjustment, the Devils should be in the market for him.
Where Tom Fitzgerald should put his foot down is on term. He can't pay Nelson past his 36th birthday. This has to be a three-year deal or less, but the connection is intriguing. There's a reason why the Devils were trying to get Nelson at the deadline. They didn't want to give up a first-round pick, which was smart. Now, they can get him for simple salary cap space.
Nelson has a lot left in the tank, but he also has a skillset that might fall off quickly. If Fitzgerald does go after him this offseason, he needs to make sure he has the equation right. He already over committed to Erik Haula and Ondrej Palat, and now that's something he must address this offseason. He can't get himself cap space just to use it on Brock Nelson if he isn't going to last.