Brock Nelson was a verifiable threat for the Rangers as long as he remained on the New York Islanders. He and the team under Barry Trotz experienced a short period of success, and after tasting more of it in Colorado, he is staying in an Avalanche uniform thanks to GM Chris McFarland.![Brock Nelson]()
While Nelson posed a threat that has now been vanquished as long as he remains in the West, there is another on the table.
The threat of money, more money demands on the table from top-tier free agents like Nelson.
Nelson's deal is rich in AAV, of course, because McFarland knows what he's capable of. But he didn't exactly execute that this season, despite doing his best to produce in the postseason.
He's an aging 33-year-old center whose production is declining after multiple 30+ goal seasons. Sounds familiar?
Nelson is a quality NHL center, but giving him an AAV of $7.5 million at 33 years old could be problematic.
The 2025 class of free agents isn't exactly chock-full of the best talent in the NHL, but they will reap the rewards of the rising salary cap, and Nelson's contract is a symptom of the troubles Chris Drury could soon face.
While it will be nice to land talent that can help the New York Rangers win, on July 1st, GM Chris Drury shouldn't spend like a drunken sailor at port.
If there's anything he's good at, it's playing the game for his own ends and the Rangers.
He should continue to hold his cards, and sell playing in MSG, and the Rangers uniform as a selling point to NHLers who have yet to put on an original-six uniform.
