MILAN — Brock Nelson’s Olympic Experience
Brock Nelson didn’t manage to call his grandfather while he was in Italy with Team USA. In a world that moves faster now, and as his grandfather Bill Christian ages, texting has become the preferred method of communication. Over time, Nelson has learned to look forward to those messages before games.
“It will be emotional when I call my grandpa,” Nelson mentioned after the U.S. clinched the Olympic gold with a 2-1 overtime victory against Canada. “I think we’ve already been receiving messages from him, and it really means a lot to us.” It’s been widely known that Nelson is the third generation in his family to represent the U.S. in men’s hockey at the Olympics. His great-uncle Gordon was part of the 1956 team, while both Bill Christian and another great-uncle, Roger Christian, took home gold in 1960. Additionally, Brock’s uncle, Dave Christian, was a player during the iconic Miracle on Ice in 1980.
It never felt easy for Brock to see himself joining those ranks, especially after the NHL opted out of the Olympics in 2018 and 2022. Honestly, he probably wouldn’t have been a candidate even if he had the chance back then. His career began to take off later, with the 2021-22 season marking his first with over 30 goals for the Islanders.
Since then, he’s consistently hit that milestone, playing 55 games with the Avalanche this year, entering his 29th year. A year ago, the anticipation of the showdown between four countries finally came to fruition. Still, there wasn’t much doubt about his inclusion, considering what Nelson demonstrated as a versatile player for Team USA this year.
Charlie McAvoy commented, “He had family representing in ’60 and ’80. We couldn’t have done it without him.” Nelson played a crucial role in the tournament, going a perfect 18-for-18 on penalty kills and contributing two goals and an assist over six games, all while having his uncle present to witness it.
“I just told him, ‘We did it,'” Nelson recalled, reflecting on the 46 years since that legendary moment. It’s been 66 years since Team USA started the 1960 Olympics with a win against Sweden.
2026 Winter Olympics
For a long time, Nelson admits he didn’t quite grasp the significance of his uncle’s achievements until he watched “Miracle.” It’s fair to say that everything registered much quicker this time around.
“When you think back to watching it as a kid, it’s something younger kids will talk about,” Nelson noted. “When they see Jack Hughes score an overtime winner, they’re likely to reenact it, envisioning themselves in that moment. Hopefully, that passion for sports keeps thriving just like it has for the past decade or two.”
