As the Stanley Cup Final between the Florida Panthers and Edmonton Oilers gets underway, the offseason has already begun for the remaining National Hockey League franchises.
The Colorado Avalanche have made an early move on their offseason agenda by re-signing a key free agent. The team has signed experienced forward Brock Nelson to a three-year contract extension. The deal is reported to be worth $7.5 million per year.
The Avalanche acquired Nelson at the trade deadline this past season. The trade involved sending forward Calum Ritchie, defenseman Oliver Kylington, a conditional 2026 first-round pick, and a conditional 2028 third-round pick.
Official NHL free agency begins on July 1 at 12 p.m. ET. However, many teams aim to extend current players or complete trades before the market officially opens.
Toronto Maple Leafs star Mitch Marner is expected to be a top name available on the open market this summer. The deep free agent class also features players like Panthers forward Sam Bennett, Vancouver Canucks winger Brock Boeser, Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad, and Stars center Matt Duchene.
Avalanche Extend Brock Nelson
The Avalanche have successfully retained one of their most important potential free agents long-term. Forward Brock Nelson has signed a three-year contract extension with an average annual value (AAV) of $7.5 million. Nelson was otherwise scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent this summer.
Nelson joined the team at the 2025 trade deadline, coming from the New York Islanders. In 19 regular-season games with Colorado, he registered 13 points (6 goals and 7 assists). He finished the season with a combined 56 points (26 goals and 30 assists) split between the Islanders and Avalanche. He also contributed four assists during the team`s first-round playoff series loss to the Dallas Stars. Nelson is likely to continue centering the Avalanche`s second line, potentially playing alongside Gabriel Landeskog and Valeri Nichushkin.
Nelson is slated to turn 34 years old around the start of the 2025-26 season this fall.
