Brock Nelson isn't telling his agent to put down the phone when the puck drops.
The Islanders center, who is set to become a free agent next summer, suggested Wednesday that he would be open to negotiating a contract extension during the season if that avenue remains open.
“I'm indifferent,” Nelson said, “I know it's the flip side, but at the same time, right now I'm just here, practicing and playing. I'm having fun and worrying about my game. It'll all take care of itself.”
“[I’m] I'm very good friends with Lou. [Lamoriello] I have a great relationship with him. We'll just sort things out and see how it plays out. For me, it doesn't really matter much else, I can go home and be with my kids. It's nice because I don't have to think about the game.”
Nelson will turn 33 in the first week of the season and has spent his entire career with the Islanders, so how the team handles his free agency will likely determine the direction of the franchise going forward.
Not only is Nelson continuing to thrive into his 30s, he's playing the best hockey of his career, scoring 30 goals in each of the past three seasons and establishing himself as a high-end second-line center.
But the Islanders need to decide how much money and how many years they're willing to spend on Nelson, who is currently outperforming the typical aging curve.
Waiting and seeing how Nelson plays this season isn't the Islanders' only motivation for holding off on an extension for the time being.
If the team struggles this year, Nelson will be one of the league's most coveted assets at the trade deadline.
Moving Nelson before March 7 would likely only happen if the Isles significantly underperform. The plan is to compete for playoff spots and the like, not sell assets mid-season.
But with Nelson unsigned and the regular season not even starting yet, the possibility can't be completely closed off.
Nelson has a 16-team no-trade clause and has been with the Islanders since being drafted in 2010, so he doesn't appear to want to go elsewhere or deal with any drama surrounding his contract situation.
“I've been here a few times and I think the preparation and mindset is the same every time,” he said. “It's just a continual process of fine-tuning my game and being ready to contribute as a key part of the team when the season comes. Raise the bar. Keep working hard. Try to make yourself and everyone else better. Push the team.”
Ilya Sorokin (back) is a week into camp and has yet to practice with the team.
Islanders coach Patrick Roy did not provide an update on Sorokin's status Wednesday other than to say he continues to skate under his own power, but added that he is not concerned about the goaltender.
“One year I had to have lymph nodes removed and it wasn't the best start but I felt like I was OK,” Roy said, “so I think he's OK. We've got two good goalies on the team and we'll just manage the situation day by day, game by game, so I'm not worried.”
