NHL Rumors: Analyst explains why Brock Nelson turned down Islanders offer despite it being 'more' than Avalanche deal

Brock Nelson signed a contract extension to remain a member of the Colorado Avalanche on Wednesday afternoon.

The deal came in at a three-year length and $22,500,000 total, ensuring that Nelson will avoid hitting the open market as a free agent on July 1.

The 33-year-old was shipped to Colorado at the 2025 trade deadline in exchange for a package centered around top prospect Calum Ritchie and a first-round draft pick. Given the haul the Avalanche surrendered to acquire Nelson, it makes sense that the front office prioritized extending him for years to come.

In the aftermath of Nelson's contract details being released, one Islanders reporter came out with an interesting nugget on the situation. Beat reporter Stefen Rosner shared that New York initially offered Brock Nelson slightly more than the final offer he wound up accepting in Colorado.

Rosner posted the news on X/Twitter.

"I believe #Isles offer to Brock Nelson was slightly more than the $7.5 million AAV extension he just signed with #GoAvsGo," Rosner wrote.

Nelson was a pending UFA, having played out the final season of the six-year, $36,000,000 contract extension signed with the Islanders in 2019. He recorded 56 points (26 goals, 30 assists) across 80 games during the 2024-25 regular season.

Brock Nelson wanted to stay with the Islanders

Despite not accepting the Islanders' contract offer, Brock Nelson's desire was still to remain on Long Island for the rest of his playing days.

Islanders reporter Stefen Rosner shared more of the details on X.

"Nelson did want to be an #Isles. Every convo I had with him, you could hear it in his voice. You saw it with @Shannon_Hogan. He likely wanted more years than what NYI offered, but given his playoff struggles, he prob realized COL's offer was the best he was going to get," Rosner wrote.

The first-round pick (30th overall) from 2010 spent the first 11 and a half seasons of his NHL career as a New York Islander, and his first choice clearly would have been to extend his time with the only team he's ever known.

But it's a business, and things change, so Nelson will now continue moving forward with his career on the Colorado Avalanche.