Avalanche sign pending UFA Nelson to three-year, $22.5M deal
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The Colorado Avalanche have re-signed pending unrestricted free agent Brock Nelson on a three-year contract on Wednesday.
The deal is worth a total of $22.5 million and carries a cap hit of $7.5 million.
Nelson, 33, finished last season with the Avalanche after he was acquired, along with prospect William Dufour, from the New York Islanders in exchange for defenceman Oliver Klyington, prospect Calum Ritchie, and two draft picks ahead of the trade deadline.
He had 26 goals and 56 points in 80 games split between the Islanders and Avalanche. He added four assists in seven playoff games before his team was eliminated by the Dallas Stars in the first round.
The 6-foot-4 centre is coming off of a six-year, $36 million contract with an annual cap hit of $6 million. He was listed at No. 8 on TSN's Top 50 Free Agents board.
“He’s been a great centre in this league for a long time, and he brings professionalism and a dedicated work ethic on and off the ice," Avalanche general manager Chris MacFarland said in a statement. “We think he’s a great fit and is a stabilizing presence to our second-line center role with his size and ability to touch all areas of the ice. We’re excited to see what his contributions will be over a larger sample size with the Avalanche.”
Drafted 30th overall by the Islanders in 2010, Nelson has 301 goals and 587 points in 920 career games.
“Having spent my entire career with one organization, we weren’t totally sure what to expect when we arrived in Denver,” said Nelson. “But getting the opportunity to play for the Avalanche, to compete with a great group of teammates in that locker room, and in front of the tremendous fans at Ball Arena, we knew this was where we wanted to stay.”
The Warroad, Minn., native represented the United States five times at the World Championship, taking home a bronze medal in 2015. He also represented his country at the 4 Nations Face-Off.