The biggest question of the offseason for the Colorado Avalanche has been answered.
Colorado signed Brock Nelson to a three-year contract, the club announced Wednesday morning. The deal is for $7.5 million per season, The Denver Post confirmed.
The Avs acquired Nelson, who will turn 34 years old in October, before the trade deadline this past season, to slot in as the team’s No. 2 center behind star Nathan MacKinnon. Colorado sent a huge package to the New York Islanders for Nelson, including top prospect Calum Ritchie and a future first-round pick.
Nelson had six goals and 13 points in 19 regular-season games for the Avs, then no goals and four assists in a seven-game series loss to the Dallas Stars in the opening round of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
The Avs had about $9.5 million in cap space available for next season before this move. They now have 12 forwards, four defensemen and two goalies on one-way contracts for next season.
Colorado will need to move someone off the current cap sheet to fill out the roster, but NHL teams are also allowed to go over the cap ceiling, which is $95.5 million for 2025-26, by 10 percent in the offseason.