Brock Nelson’s Return to UBS Arena

Kyle McClain, who came through the Islanders organization, never really knew Brock Nelson personally.

Nevertheless, Nelson, the Islanders’ enduring No. 29—sorry, Jonathan Drouin—made an impact on undrafted free agents much like he did on fans. He received a warm welcome back to UBS Arena as a member of the Avalanche on Thursday night.

“When you think about the Islanders, I think he truly represented what the Islanders are all about,” McClain, who was called up in January 2023 after spending three seasons in the AHL, shared with the Post.

Nelson always kept a low profile, often underrated but consistently present.

His 901 games with the Islanders put him fifth in franchise history, while his 65 goals at UBS Arena—this includes his first as an Islander—are the most by anyone.

With recent roster changes following Coach Lou Lamoriello’s decisions, there aren’t many ties left to the golden years of the mid-2010s. Not even the playoff win over the Panthers in 2016, a stint at Barclays Center, or a return to the Coliseum during the pandemic era.

Starting off as the No. 3 center behind John Tavares and Frans Nielsen, Nelson eventually achieved his first 30-goal season at the age of 30 and was selected as an All-Star at 31. He represented the team perhaps better than all but a few, like Matt Martin, Casey Cizikas, and Cal Clutterbuck.

Looking ahead, there may be even fewer connections to those days, especially with Anders Lee and Jean-Gabriel Pageau nearing the end of their contracts.

After arriving from Denver on Wednesday, Nelson caught up with Josh Bailey and Clutterbuck at their home. Bailey has been appearing on the team’s radio broadcasts, while Clutterbuck is becoming a regular on MSG broadcasts.

“The kids were having so much fun,” Nelson remarked about bringing his family to the area. “It’s great to get the families together. They act like no time has passed, just running around and enjoying themselves.”

Regarding the past year, adults know it’s a bit more complicated. When he was traded last March, Nelson couldn’t agree on a contract extension with Lamoriello and felt disconnected from a pleasant day spent at a San Jose driving range with his teammates—his phone ringing continuously. It was clearly time to move on.

This marked the conclusion of something significant.

Later that night, while the trade was concluded, Nelson couldn’t catch a flight to join the Avalanche until the next morning, unexpectedly seeing a former teammate one last time.

“We knew it was coming, but when it happens, you realize you’re losing a teammate and a really good player,” McClain noted. “A crucial part of the locker room. I remember when we went back to the hotel in San Jose and had a little send-off. It felt emotional.”

Leading up to the trade, Nelson kept a calm demeanor, trying to maintain a sense of normalcy.

“It feels nice to see everyone,” he said on Thursday morning. “Let’s grab coffee and catch up. It’s reminiscent of past times.”

He reflected on how familiar UBS still feels to him, even though it’s not technically home anymore. “We’ve built so many good memories here. It’ll be fun to remember those different eras,” he continued. “People keep asking about when the building opened, and I shared stories about that long road trip we kicked off back in 2021-22. That was something.”

Such memories inspired Nelson’s return.

“Opening night here was special. The first goal. So many unforgettable moments—the goal against Tampa at the Coliseum, Bales’ overtime goal against Pittsburgh in 2018. A lot of cherished times,” he expressed.

There’s a thin line between feeling an era is ending and recognizing that it has ended.

Nelson’s exit from the Islanders, perhaps even more so than Lamoriello’s, has marked a definitive end of an era.

“It’s wild how much time has flown by,” he said. “But I feel lucky to have spent much of my life here, truly calling it home.”