He’s Staying: Avalanche Sign Brock Nelson To Three-Year Contract Extension

The second-line center position is figured out for the foreseeable future.

The Avalanche signed center Brock Nelson to a three-year contract extension, the team announced on Wednesday. Nelson was eligible to be an unrestricted free agent on July 1 but opted instead to remain with the Avs. His new deal carries a $7.5 million AAV.

“We’re thrilled to have reached an agreement with Brock to keep him in Colorado for the next three seasons,” Avalanche general manager Chris MacFarland said in a team release. “He’s been a great center in this league for a long time, and he brings professionalism and a dedicated work ethic on and off the ice. 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.”

Colorado acquired Nelson at the trade deadline from the New York Islanders, sending highly touted prospect Calum Ritchie and a 2026 first-round draft pick back the other way. In 19 regular-season games, Nelson recorded six goals and seven assists after the trade before posting four assists in seven playoff games.

Nelson ended the playoffs centering Valeri Nichushkin and a returning Gabe Landeskog. He was the catalyst of the play that led to Landeskog’s first goal in three years.

“We’re excited to see what his contributions will be over a larger sample size with the Avalanche,” MacFarland said.

With this deal locked up, MacFarland and the rest of the front office can shift their attention to other pressing needs. They still need to either sign or replace Jonathan Drouin, Joel Kiviranta, Ryan Lindgren, and Erik Johnson, among others. The Avs have less than $2 million in cap space following this signing.

Expect the team to send salary out the door via trade if they plan to add others along the way.