Insiders: Brock Nelson Trade Inevitable — 2 Top Destinations Named - NHL Trade Rumors

Brock Nelson will likely be one of the top forwards available at this year's trade deadline. The impending unrestricted free agent is coming off a six-year, $6M AAV contract, and at 33, his future with the Islanders is uncertain.

In fact, insider Pierre LeBrun in The Athletic suggests that Nelson intends to test free agency on July 1st, making it incumbent on New York Islanders GM Lou Lamoriello to get something in return for the eight-time 20+ goal scorer. Nelson is coming off three straight 30-goal seasons.

Going one step further, LeBrun and his colleague Chris Johnston have named their two top trade destinations for Nelson:

Dallas Stars

LeBrun notes that the Stars are still right in the middle of their "go-for-it" window, and GM Jim Nill never hesitates to make a big add for Dallas when the Stanley Cup is calling. Tyler Seguin's $9.85 million cap hit will eventually be put on LTIR, giving Nill plenty of cap space to make a Nelson trade work.

One thing that could stand in the way of that, we posit, would be the Stars' more urgent need on the blueline, so their big spend at the deadline could be more geared to that area of the club.

Minnesota Wild

Johnston figures the Wild are the best fit for a Nelson trade. First of all, the 12-year veteran is a Minnesota native, and as Johnston points out, Wild GM Bill Guerin has already acquired Nelson once this season—for Team USA in the 4 Nations Face-Off. Guerin is the GM for the U.S. team.

Nelson's vast playoff experience (78 games, 27 goals) would be a valued commodity for Minnesota to add as the young team makes a big push to try to make a big playoff run (or at least win one series!) for the first time in a decade.

Nelson has 10 goals and 10 assists for 20 points in 35 games this season, playing a career-high 19:03 per night.