ON THE HORIZON: Brock Nelson, F, North Dakota
written by Alan Avital
When Garth Snow and his scouting department decided to trade the Islanders’ two
second round picks (35th and 58th selections overall) to move up to the end of the first round of the
2010 NHL Entry Draft to select six-foot-three center Brock Nelson (30th overall), they had a
vision in mind. Nelson’s collegiate coach Dave Hakstol believed that Snow’s move was bold at
the time, yet will prove to be a franchise-changer which will benefit the Islanders for years to
come.
“Brock has great skill and tremendous hockey sense,” said Hakstol, who is currently in
his eighth season as head coach of the North Dakota hockey team. “But what makes Brock
stand out from others is that when the game is on the line, he steps up and makes plays. Brock
is always a guy who rises to the occasion.”
Nelson, who is currently a sophomore in Grand Forks, believes his current and future
success stems from a family tree, rich in hockey experience and success.
“I have a great support system behind me, “said Nelson, whose three uncles have
played collegiate and professional hockey for the better part of six decades. “Moving forward,
my uncles will always be there to help me.”
Nelson’s great uncle, Gordon Christian played hockey at North Dakota from 1947-50,
and also won an Olympic silver medal for the United States in 1956. Uncle Eddie Christian,
lettered at UND from 1980-84, and Uncle Dave Christian, played at UND from 1977-79. Dave
won an Olympic gold medal with the fame “Miracle on Ice” in 1980, before playing over 1,000
games in the NHL with Winnipeg, Washington, Boston, St. Louis and Boston. He ended his NHL
career with 340 goals and 433 assists, and was inducted into the United States Hockey Hall of
Fame in 2001.
Prior to entrance at North Dakota, Nelson amassed 149 points – 84 goals and 65 assists -
in his final two seasons at Warroad (MN) High School. As a senior, Nelson scored 39 goals and
had 74 points in 25 games and was named a finalist for Mr. Minnesota. Ironically, the award
was won by Blaine High School’s Nick Bjugstad, who was selected 11 picks earlier than Nelson
by the Florida Panthers.
According to Nelson, playing at Warroad was a tremendous building block for future
achievements.
“Playing at Warroad was awesome,” said Nelson. “Warroad is a town of 1,700 people, and everyone here supports hockey. It was a great experience.”
Besides uncles Dave and Eddie Christian, who starred at Warroad, Nelson watched
current St. Louis Blue T.J. Oshie lead Warroad to two Minnesota State Class A titles in 2003 and
2005 before trekking down the 145 miles to Grand Forks to play for Hakstol and the Fighting
Sioux for three seasons, scoring 142 points in 128 games – 59 goals and 83 assists.
Nelson finished his 2009-10 hockey season, scoring 16 goals and assisting on 16 others
for Team Great Plains – a Minnesota High School select team.
As a freshman at North Dakota, Nelson had 21 points – eight goals and 13 assists in 42
games, but it was his maturity level which drew the praises of Hakstol.
“It is a very tough transition going from playing high school to college hockey. Even
coming from a great, competitive high school program, like Warroad,” said Hakstol. “But Brock
handled everything very well. He is a very mature kid, but by the second half of the year, things
started to come a little bit easier for him.”
On a deep team, which reached the NCAA Final Four, Nelson predominantly played as a
second and third line center.
“There were no expectations from Coach (Hakstol),” said Nelson, who was the recipient
of UND’s Tom Hoghaug Memorial Scholarship, awarded annually to the freshman who
demonstrates initiative, character and a sense of responsibility. “I was just looking to develop
as a player and become bigger and skate faster.”
Nelson concluded his freshman year as a member of the United States World Junior
Championship Team. He had an assist in five games, before suffering an A.C. bruise to his
shoulder, ending his tournament.
The experience was invaluable, according to Nelson.
“It was an awesome experience to be part of the junior team,” said
Nelson. “Unbelievable. It also gave me an opportunity to work on my game, heading into my
sophomore season.”
Despite his team’s current struggles – 3-6-1 overall, 1-5 in WCHA conference – Nelson
leads the Fighting Sioux in goals with five and is third on the team in points with nine.
“Brock is a key part of our young team,” said Hakstol of his 19-year old center. “This
year, he’s not just one of the guys. He has to shoulder the load in and out of the locker.
“While he is a quiet leader, he definitely gives our younger players a base of knowledge
on what to expect and the resources to handle all ups and downs of playing college hockey.”
With an eye towards the NHL, Nelson is confident on what he needs to work on and on
what he can build on.
“My strengths are definitely my hockey knowledge,” said Nelson, who patterns his game
after Los Angeles King forward Anze Kopitar, based on his responsibility on both ends of the ice
and his ability to score in the clutch. “I definitely would love to become a quicker player, and
become more physical.”
Since his arrival at North Dakota, Nelson has gained upwards of 15 pounds, and hopes
to add 10-to-15 more pounds of muscle before heading onto the pro level.
Hakstol believes Nelson’s transition to the pro game should be seamless.
“In my opinion, I believe Brock is a three-year college player,” said Hakstol. “I’m not one
for predictions, but he is a top-6 player on the next level.
“Similar to (Zach) Parise, (Travis) Zajac and (Jonathon) Toews, Brock will have a
significant role on the NHL level.”
Nelson had the opportunity to play in front of his future professional fans this summer
at the Islanders’ Blue-White scrimmage, and relished every moment.
“There are a lot of die-hard fans there,” said Nelson of the Islander fans. “It will be really
good to build with the other younger players, and in a few years, we could be a great team.”
About Kevin Schultz
Kevin was formerly an NHL blogger for the now defunct AOL Fanhouse and was the creator of the hockey comedy blog Barry Melrose Rocks. He now covers the Isles for Islanders Point Blank. You can follow him for instant updates on the team and talk hockey with him on Twitter @schultz88. View all posts by Kevin Schultz →51 Responses to ON THE HORIZON: Brock Nelson, F, North Dakota
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Gene F says:
Excellent! How many years away he is from playing in the NHL? 4-5?
We have a couple of great first rounders – Bailey and Okposo. They are on fire right now.
12 games: Bailey has 1 point, Okposo – 0.Geez, picks and prospect – same old, same old
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Joe says:
I see you conveniently left out Tavares lol plus guys like Stamkos, Kane, and other “prospects” who made it big. Every star player was once a prospect.
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rob hock says:
okposo and bailey aren’t going to be superstars like JT – they are role players who currently dont have a role. i feel and am hoping that at least 2 if not all 3 in Strome, Nino & Grabner can emgerge into bonafide NHL superstars. if thats the case – then you have 4 really really good players – and then your guys like Okposo, Bailey,etc. can complement them.
Take the 09 Penguins for example:
they had sidney – we have JT
they had malkin – we have Nino
they had hossa – we have Grabner
they had stall – we have Strome (least comparable but you get the picture)sprinkle in the role players with a few aging vets – should equal a CUP! lets just pray that our Core 4 picks/prospects pan out…
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ODG says:
Kevin great article. I know it’s a bit depressing right now but Brock is one of the building blocks. I thought he and Anders were the best players on the ice during the Blue-White game.
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Hishutzi Skorz says:
I was at the game and agree with your assessment. Unfortunately, that’s like saying the veal francese is the best meal at the Olive Garden!
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Paul says:
LOL
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Miked says:
Gene-F : Okposo has 3 points but your point still stands.
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my mistake, sorry. thanks for correcting
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brian says:
The only Islander prospect that has meant expectations, as a member of the Islanders, in the last 20 years is JT. So, sorry, I don’t care about Brock Nelson.
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Dan C. says:
Really. When you look at the 8 or so players on this team that are any good, only 4 (JT, Hamonic, Nielsen, AMac) are Islanders draft picks, two of which were picks (Nielsen & AMac) made by previous regimes, and another was a first overall pick that anyone could have and would have made. So in 5 years of this rebuild with all of the team’s own draft picks plus all of the draft picks that have been traded for, the tangible sum total of it all on the NHL ice right now is Travis Hamonic.
2008- The team with the 5th overall pick inexplicably locks onto Josh Bailey, the 12th-ranked player.
2009 – They don’t miss the slam dunk with JT, and with their other pick they trade up to take, who? The TSN and NHL guys covering the draft thinks it is Dmitri Kulikov, the 2nd-best defenseman in the draft after Victor Hedman. But no, it’s Calvin de Haan, a player ranked in the 20s who would likely been available if they stayed at #19. Naturally Kulikov is in his 3rd NHL season, has steadily improved each year and is being compared to a young Sergei Gonchar. de Haan, of course, can’t come close to cracking the Islanders roster that has 3-4 legit top 6 defensemen.
2010 – They pick El Nino over #3-ranked Cam Fowler (I won’t mention Skinner, except to say that when some teams go off the board, they come away with Jeff Skinner and when other teams go off the board , they get Josh Bailey). Naturally, the small-ish Cam Fowler has some ups and downs . but sticks with a much better team, puts up 40 points and looks even better this season. Meanwhile, the far more physically mature El Nino cannot stick with the big club and has yet to play this season.
2011 – While I think Ryan Strome was a good pick, I can’t help but notice that Sean Couturier has stuck with a much better team and is thriving, while Strome was returned to Niagara without even playing an NHL shift, even after the Isles’ goal-scoring struggles were apparent from game one.
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Steve from Jersey says:
I think your frustration is pretty evident…
Some of it is kind of off base as no one really can predict whats gonna happen with a draft.Lets start in reverse order….
2011- I dont recall hearing anyone scream to keep Strome up. Most people were demanding he go back to Juniors. Every player is different and just because Strome isn’t playing this year doesn’t mean Courtier is the better player.2010- Did the islanders really need another smallish defenseman. Nino was a good pick and he hasn’t cracked the line up yet, because he was injured and is on a conditioning stint in the AHL.
2009- again development is different for every player. Dehann develops properly and we dont rush him then your looking at a great defenseman who can put up numbers. Then again he could be a bust…
2008- Bailey hasn’t panned out and he defiantly needs a change of scenery. Depending on what happens during free agency and training camp… odds are he’s not an islander next year. Out of the draft I would have only wanted Schenn which the Isles could have had with the 5th pick. However that draft was about stocking the cupboard.
Prospects are just kids with the possbility of panning out one day. Most of them dont…
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“Prospects are just kids with the possbility of panning out one day. Most of them dont…”
That is not true about players picked in the first 10-15 spots. Most players picked there DO pan out,except for, apparently the Islanders’ picks.
While it is admittedly too early to tell about 2010 and 2011, it is alarming how the top-ranked players that the Isles passed over in each draft have stepped right onto the NHL ice and performed well with deeper, better teams, while Niederreiter was unimpressive in 9 games last year and Strome didn’t even get a shift. And the Isles may not need another small-ish defenseman but they certainly need a defenseman with the speed and the skill that Fowler has. He would be the Isles #2 defenseman right now.
As for 2009, ISS, TSN and the NHL commentators all had Kulikov ranked way ahead of CdH. Same position, same size and the Isles clearly went with the inferior player. It was the consensus in 2009 and it’s clearly true now. Kulikov is a star in the making and CdH is struggling in the AHL.
In 2008 Luke Schenn was the pick that ought to have been made. That’s not even Monday Morning Quarterbacking because there were way better defensemen taken later in that draft (Karlsson, Carlson and Myers).
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eh yeah depending on the draft… i’d say 50 50. plus by pan out do you mean play in the NHL or reach their full potential?
I’m not trying to claim the isles couldn’t ask for more out of their picks, but I think the slow start is more of a reason to knock the prospects the isles have on the team currently that they drafted.
Anyway that being said some of the guys not producing right now really need to step up, because the defense was exposed big time. Offense is supposed to be this teams strength.
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By pan out, I mean become solid NHL players at the very least if taken in the top 10-15 and reach their full potential, if they are in the top 3-5.
A major part of the reason why this team is bad is because JT is the only one of their very many high first round picks made this century that is making any positive impact on this team whatsoever right now. Okposo and Bailey have been awful. DP is just a distraction at this point and de Haan, Niederreiter and Strome have not yet arrived. Maybe those three will all be All-Stars someday soon but, based on this team’s track record, I tend to doubt it. And those first two will have a lot of catching up to do to match the kind of impact the players the Isles passed over have already made (Kulikov and Fowler). In all fairness, I was happy with the Strome pick, but I thought Snow should have picked Schenn, Kulikov and Fowler even at the time and not just in hindsight.
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Shoeless Joe Jackson says:
Yes, in hindsight it’s truly amazing what a great GM you could be! I bet every GM wishes they could pick in hindsight!
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Did you miss the part where he said “not just in hindsight”? Face it, Snow has failed miserably.
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Trott says:
Oh….he SAID ‘not in hindsight’. Well…that clears it all up doesn’t it? The fact that he wrote it on November 8th makes it “in hindsight” Paul. Basic concept. Get it right.
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the bomber says:
any shot we can switch him back to defense and call him up today? he has to be better than staois. im done watching that experiment. we miss martinek real bad. now some of you will finally see how nice it was to have a guy who could shut down the other teams top line. we dont have that anymore….
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claude says:
Even Hillen at least he could move the puck and what about katic?
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Bob E. says:
These make you feel about future but we are depressed on what we seeing right now. We add too many Hasbeen Vets that are dragging down the level of play. KO is playing with zero confidence.
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nyc dork says:
KO is the most exciting player to watch when he is on his game. he can get me off my seat more than tavarez will. We need a coach that will spank these players. Its to early to blame cappy but something has to change. these players need a fresh boost.
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Lum_NY says:
Brock sounds like a solid guy for us 3 or 4 years down line, if we r still here. But don’t you think we have bigger issues to adress ?
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Wang Chung says:
Brock Nelson will suck just like every other player Garth picked minus JT. This team is garbage. Move to Quebec and change ownership.
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NoManIsAnIslander says:
No. Don’t move to Quebec.
Stay in the NY Metro Area and change ownership.
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juniorjunior says:
agreed, stay in NY and change ownership.
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Doug F. says:
This team needs to make a few trades soon or they will be out of the playoffs by the Christmas holidays.
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mark p says:
Katic is out for the year, but I think it hits on a point.
Although we need the size on the back line…losing guys who can make a strong first pass is underated. Staios, Jrcina, Eaten…meat and potatoes…someone need to sping Grabner up the ice for the breakout pass….Tavares is more of a plodder….but the rest of the lines need to be more run and gun….and cannot get started. -
Not impressed with Pandolfo, Eaton or Reasoner at this point. I know we need to be patient but Boston had there way with us. the score very easily could have been 9-2 if it were not for Big AL coming up big! He deserves another start..
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Steven says:
Great another kid who is years away. What about the mess with the current team?
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Tom D in NJ says:
With all due respect, I could care less about a prospect story. Does anyone in the media really care enough to address Wang, Snow or Capuano about what they might try to do to win now? The chemistry of this team is terrible and if we keep going with this line-up of washed up vets and un-productive prospects, we will be out of the play-offs by Christmas. This oragnization has zero accountibility and the fact that nobody cares is why the culture of loosing endures.
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Should some accountibility be asked of these guys?
GP G A
Okposo 12 0 3
Reasoner 12 0 1
Bailey 12 0 1
Pandolpho 12 0 0
Comeau 10 0 0-
islesrock73 says:
Tom D, one would think someone in that bunch should watch a few from the press box. Bring up Haley for a few games.
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Blizzard says: ….another prospect. Great. Hope he is an allstar. Let me get something straight, I loath Mike Milbury. However he said something I agree with. Garth Snow has to abandon the old washed up guys. If we are gonna lose at least lets lose with youth. I would rather see what these kids got than watch guys like Reasner and Pandolfo lug up and down the ice.
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Nick M says:
What Is going on with this organization. No reporters, no informative tweets..it feels like a nightmare that will never end. Is anything being done about this loading ethic. Has snow been interviewed? Capuano didn’t like the “players not showing up” is Garth addressing the media. Is he doing ANYTHInG!!!!
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Jim says:
I agree with you 100% (about Milbury also). Last year I found the second half very exciting even though we were out of it. Watching the young guys band together and take it to the other teams was so refreshing. Now it seems we’ve regressed backwards 3 years. What in the world is Wang-Snow thinking?
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Corey says: Cant believe some of these comments. Chill out guys. This is a prospect report and some of you are screaming about moving the team and bashing Snow and Capuano. Thanks for the prosepct stories I really enjoy them. He and Lee looked good in the prospect games. Cant wait to see them in a few years in Brigeport or on the Island
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pruggier says:
Yes our drafting has not been good too many small players taken in the later rounds why not take a chance on big people if you are going to take a chance on kids-we got completely outSIZED by the Bruins plain and simple. My question to all of you is why did we trade Roloson?-we got Wishart who is 6″4 and already we are giving up on him? He would be at least as good as what we got he is young adn will get better, he makes good passes out of his own zone and he takes up ice in the defensive zone-HE SHOULD BE BROUGHT UP-also he was Hamonic’s defensive partner in junior and he was drafted ahead of him!
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Wishart could not possibly be any worse than Mike Mottau or any slower than Mark Eaton.
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Nice, interesting story, but with the team looking like “the same old Islanders” we fans could really care less about prospects, at best, several years away. Especially when some of our younger players are playing so poorly at the NHL level, and we are littered with over the hill vets.
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bob says:
Please sell the team Wanger. Its clear you won’t invest in it.
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Jim Clark says: Light at the end of the tunnel
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Wang and Garth simply do not learn from their mistakes…
As far as Brock, I am happy he is doing well, but I will not hold my breath until he is a player in an Islanders jersey. And speaking of 3rd jersey’s, where is it? Did they nix it because the fans did not like it? Nah! They would never listen to the fans! I do think Garth has done some good things, but getting decent talent to sign with us is not one of them. Perhaps we should let Weight do the talking next year. -
Billy the Kid says:
Wow, the bitterness, insecurity, and cynacism on this site is too hard to take.
You want the team to play hard but the fanbase is a bunch of Mary’s.
Mistakes have been made by Snow in the draft, but law of averages dictates some of these kids will turn out, even if he put a blindfold on and threw darts at a board.
Nelson is good pick, not terrible. He may be the one, no reason to run him down before he even gets out of college.-
Hey Billy, first of all my name is Erika, not Mary, lol. Second, nobody is knocking the Nelson pick. All indicators so far are positive on the kid. I do not want to speak for all Isles fans, but as a die-hard for the past 38 yrs I feel this website is the only one that allows us to voice our frustrations within a “we know what you are going through” environment. I am also the first to defend this team to any “outsider” that berates us, and believe me, that is quite often. I feel 18 yrs of incompetence is plenty to endure, especially with all the high picks we were awarded. I can say that keeping the Isles in the N.Y. area and seeing just a slight improvement from year to year would probably satisfy me. This “rebuild has been going on to long. The P.R. for this team is below minor league status. We continually have excellent hockey minds available to us, which are discarded by our current owner or G.M. (nobody really knows). Jaffe=gone, Jankowski=gone, Lafontain, Nolan, Laviolette, Smith, Botta, all people who cared about this organization and could help are gone! Communication from ownership to the fans is god awful, unless they need us to fight for a new arena. The simple fact that if they ice a winning team they will be much more likely to get a new building eludes them. Their constant attempt at trying to reinvent the game of hockey is laughable, and the reason most FA will not touch us. If you have some positive thoughts at the moment, I would sure love to hear them. Please…help out a fellow Islander fan!
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Brian G says:
You got to love the early prospect talk….that’s when you know we are already in last place in the east..
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PA ISlanders says:
And the eternal rebuild continues!
To bad its all built on quick sand. -
I can see this happened an would love it to happen–Nabokov 4th to Toronto for Franson
Columbus needs a goalie. Nabokov (plus a lot more) for Nash. But I don’t see that happening.
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D in Big D says:
Isles get blown out by legit team & next article on this site is about another top flight prospect…go figure.
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Rich L says:
Hey Dan, Strome was drafted at the age of 17, he only turned 18 in July of this year. He needs time to mature, and to bring him on this team now would kill him, physically, and probably his hockey playing skills would diminish under Cappy, because he would only play for about 6 minutes a game to start off.
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They could put the Isles D in witness protection, and we wouldn’t even miss them.
No Brock! Don’t become more physical! If you do, Snow may trade or demote you.