CALGARY, AB — When Brock Nelson was a kid, he looked at photos of his family at his local rink in Warroad, Minn.
his grandfather, Bill Christian and great-uncle, Roger Christian, both of Squaw Valley; Another great-uncle, Gordon Christian, was in Cortina d'Ampezzo. his uncle, Dave Christian, of Lake Placid; There were plaques commemorating the gold medals won with Team USA in hockey in 1960 and 1980, and the silver medal Gordon won in 1956.
“Growing up, I never really thought about it,” Nelson told the Post after the Islanders practiced in Calgary on Monday. “…But as you grow up, you realize the greatness of what they accomplished.” [was] It took on a whole new meaning and new perspective in terms of winning the gold medal and what it meant to the country.
“So any time, even at the World Championships, for me there's an opportunity to represent my country. It's definitely about my family, how much they mean to this game, how much they play a role for me. It reminds me of how much it means to me as a model. People I respect.”
In two weeks from Wednesday, Nelson will find out if he has a chance to represent Team USA in its first international best-on-best tournament since 2016, the Four Nations Tournament this February.
After the NHL declined to participate in the 2022 Beijing Olympics due to pandemic-related concerns, a tournament between the United States, Canada, Sweden and Finland, held in place of the All-Star Game, was a precursor to the league's participation. At the 2026 Milan Games.
Nelson, who has 10 points in the first 18 games of the season heading into Tuesday's game against the Flames, could be one of the final few names left on either side of Team USA's cut line. is high.
Auston Matthews and Jack Eichel were already named to the team in June and play in midfield, and the Devils' Jack Hughes is also likely to play center for the American team. Nelson should be considered for a fourth-line role, along with Detroit's Dylan Larkin, Buffalo's Tage Thompson and the Rangers' Vincent Trocheck, but could also be an option to play on the wing.
Nelson's grandfather, Bill Christian, attended Saturday's game against the Kraken and remembered the family ties.
After their playing careers ended, the Christian brothers established a hockey stick factory in Warroad, and their sticks were regularly used by NHLers throughout the 1990s.
“Grandpa, I have a lot.” [stories]. They get a lot from the Christian Brothers who started a stick factory in their hometown,” Nelson said. “I think he actually remembers selling some sticks.” [Isles GM] Lou [Lamoriello] At one point, when Lou was in Providence.
“The hockey world is such an interesting, small community. My grandfather knows so many people at all levels of the hockey world. I've been around him, played with him, and loved him when he played. It's always fun to hear stories. I remember him stuffing newspapers and stuff in his shin guards and saying, 'Now that I have him, he's really helped my career. I follow him closely and I always receive text messages from him wishing me luck and success in my matches.”
Nelson represented Team USA at the World Junior Championships, where tryouts were held in Lake Placid and won a bronze medal in 2011. He has also participated in the world championships five times, including last summer.
If he competes in the Four Nations, it will be the first time he has donned the Stars and Stripes in a competition between the best of the best.
“Obviously there's a lot of hype around this,” Nelson said. “For me, it's about playing here and being the best member of the team here. Anything beyond that is a bonus.”
but?
“…To have an opportunity like that and play for the United States is special,” he said. “These big players, understandably, want to see the players representing their country win gold medals again, so they're going to track it and go after it and add to that history. ”
