Colorado Avalanche 2025-26 Player Grades: Brock Nelson – The Hockey Writers – Colorado Avalanche

Though the 2025-26 season hasn’t officially concluded, it has been over for the Colorado Avalanche for some time. The loss to the Vegas Golden Knights in the Western Conference Final is one of the worst in the history of the franchise and the Avalanche are trying to figure out what’s next.

One of the most disappointing players in the series was Brock Nelson. As we continue our series handing out individual player grades, Nelson becomes an interesting comparison of a sterling regular season followed by a majorly disappointing playoff run.

Production

It would be hard to ask for more than what Nelson did in his first full season with the Avalanche. He topped the 30-goal mark for the first time in three seasons, tallying 33 goals as the team’s second-line center. His 65 points are also the most since 2023-24, and the third-highest total of his career.

Given his role and the kind of ice time he eats (19:39 per game), that is an impressive level of offense from Nelson. It seems he has only gotten better with age, too. His first 30-goal season came as a 30-year-old, and he has hit the milestone in four of the last five seasons. That’s the kind of consistency teams crave out of their second-line center.

Intangibles

For all the talk of his offense, Nelson’s defensive game was perhaps never better. He plays a true 200-foot game, the defensive consciousness of a strong second line for the Avalanche. It also doesn’t hurt that he won 50.4% of his faceoffs, either.

Nelson plays with that quiet toughness that has become a hallmark of his career. He fits in well in Denver, where superstar players get most of the headlines and allow him to fly somewhat under the radar, free to do his thing.

Overall Grade: A-

This grade would have been a clear A+ if not for his playoff performance. Though he showed signs of life in the Vegas series, his totals – two goals, three points in 13 games – is unacceptable given his regular season production.

When looking back at this season, his performance in the playoffs will stand out like a sore thumb. Nelson is an elite two-way center that makes the Avalanche deeper, stronger, and difficult to handle offensively

One of the Game’s Elite Two-Way Centers

Though he didn’t win the award, Nelson’s nomination for the Selke Trophy cements his status as one of the premier two-way centers in the game. Even at 34 years old, he continues to produce and defend at an elite level for second-line centers.

Combined with Nazem Kadri, Nicolas Roy, and Nathan MacKinnon, Nelson gives the Avalanche arguably the best center group in the NHL. Whether he can continue to produce at this level remains to be seen, and his play in the playoffs has to be better if the Avalanche are going to climb the mountain again.