Hockey

“Finishing My Career With the Islanders Would Be Special” — Brock Nelson On His Future with Islanders

Published: Feb 12, 2025, 12:21 PM
1 min read
Updated: Jul 24, 2025, 10:59 AM
Fact checked by:
Sergey Demidov
Brock Nelson #29 of the New York Islanders

Brock Nelson knows how special it would be to finish his career with the Islanders (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)

The New York Islanders are a team that have several pending unrestricted free agents heading into the NHL Trade Deadline which include center Brock Nelson.

Nelson enters the final season of his contract with the Islanders and is a part of Team USA at the Four Nations Face-Off. There’s an intensity surrounding the tournament, and he’s hoping to carry over his play with the Islanders to Team USA once the puck drops Thursday.

Speculation continues, as RG reported last Friday, that Nelson and the Islanders are working on an extension, but he sees this tournament as a welcome distraction as he looks to focus on his game.

With the Four Nations Face-Off about to begin on Thursday for Team USA, New York Islanders forward Brock Nelson is looking forward to the welcome mental break.

“I think it's a mental break. It's something you kind of put on pause a little bit just being here.

Yeah, I think it's different environment got a little different going on, and solely just focused on enjoying this experience right now, and I have family coming in to kind of soak it up and be with me.”

Dealing With The Trade Talks

However, Nelson knows that he can't escape the noise and speculation surrounding his uncertain future with the Islanders. Though he is focused on playing, Nelson knows everything will work out, as he will leave that up to his agent and general manager Lou Lamoriello.

“I mean, like I said, I think everything will work itself out. Lou and I have a great relationship, and there's definitely time still. So I said, I know there's a lot of speculation from outside and different things, and people have already decided for me a couple of times what's going to happen. It's all outside noise, and we'll handle everything, and everything will sort itself out.”

The Islanders are four points out of a playoff spot, and their general manager is not in the mindset of rebuilding. That is not his style. Lamoriello believes in this group and is not in the mood to sell off players. As RG reported in December, unless the Islanders really fall off, he will not be inclined to move out his players for future assets. There is a good chance he looks to add to the team, as Lamoriello is always in win-now mode.

“Yeah, I think I said it with Lou, I think Lou wants to win, and he wants to win right now.So he stated before that he's confident in the group,” said Nelson. “He believes in the group, and I think everybody in the room believes in the group as well. I think everybody there wants to win and wants to win now.”

Wanting to Sign an Extension

Nelson knows there will be many factors in his decision to sign an extension with the Islanders, including the general manager, but he will do what is best for him and his family.

“I mean, I want what's best for me, my family, my team, and everything. So there are a lot of factors that go into it. Everything will sort itself out. Like I said, Lou's a great guy. I love playing for him. He's a great man, he's done a lot for me, and he gave me a great opportunity,” said Nelson. “My agent has a great relationship with him and communicates with him. And I know everything will kind of sort itself out.”

Nelson knows what it means to play for just one franchise. It was Lamoriello who gave him the current six-year deal that is ending this year. Back then, Nelson was coming off a one-year deal. Now he’s in a different position. Nelson exclusively broke down to RG he understands the legacy of the New York Islanders and what it would mean to finish his career there.

Despite Nelson being pegged as one of the top rental candidates leading up to the NHL Trade Deadline, it doesn’t look like either party wants his time on Long Island to end just yet.

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Having 10 years of experience (SiriusXM NHL Network Radio, Rod Pedersen Show, Raw Mike Richards Show, and more) covering the Devils, the NHL along with College Football, the NFL, and the tennis circuit Jim Biringer has wealth of sports knowledge. As one of Jim's hockey coaches put it he is a "student of the game." During his time as a sports reporter, Biringer has covered some of the biggest events including most recently the 2024 Stanley Cup Final along with several NHL Drafts. He is also the host of the Full Press Hockey Podcast and Final Word on Hockey plus Around Campus - The College Football Podcast.
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James Murphy
James Murphy
NHL Reporter

James Murphy is a veteran sports journalist covering the NHL, NCAA and CHL hockey for RG.

With 25 years of experience covering the Bruins, the NHL, NCAA, CHL and more, Murphy has seen it all when it comes to hockey. His hockey black book is filled with Hall of Famers, current players, coaches, management, scouts and a diverse array of hockey media personalities who have lived and worked in and around the game. Murphy also currently co-hosts The Eye Test podcast with Pierre McGuire and, along with McGuire, interviews NHL owners and executives, as well as NHL and NCAA head coaches and players daily.

The Arlington, Massachusetts, native began his writing career in hockey in 2001, when the Boston Bruins raised one of his childhood idols, Ray Bourque’s No. 77, to the rafters before their 2001–02 season opener. For 22 of his 25 years as a hockey reporter, Murphy covered the Bruins daily, including their victorious 2011 Stanley Cup run and their runs to the 2013 and 2019 Finals, multiple NHL drafts and countless Stanley Cup playoffs. He did all that for the Boston Metro, NHL.com, NESN.com and ESPN Boston.

In addition to his print work covering the Bruins, Murphy also made regular TV appearances on NESN, Fox 25 Boston, ESPN and NHL Network. From 2008 to 2012, Murphy hosted The Hockey Primetime Show on SiriusXM NHL Network Radio and made numerous appearances on national and international radio shows.

Ironically, his three years not covering the Bruins were spent covering their archrivals, the Montreal Canadiens. From 2012 to 2015, Murphy was based in Montreal and covered the Canadiens for NHL.com and TSN.ca. He also appeared regularly on TSN 690 radio and CTV.

Murphy returned to Boston in 2015 and left the media business to work in sales and marketing for LiveBarn, a Montreal-based sports streaming company, for four years. In 2019, Murphy once again became a Bruins beat reporter, this time writing for Boston Hockey Now. He spent four seasons working for BHN before arriving at RG in 2024 and also dedicated more time to The Eye Test podcast.

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