Seven months ago, Brock Nelson had to say goodbye to the only NHL home he knew.
It was a unique moment. Nelson was named the first star in what would be his final home game in a New York Islanders uniform, and everyone at UBS Arena knew it. The raw emotion, the cracks in his voice as 12 years and more than 900 games with one organization came to an end, was a special moment during his interview with MSG’s Shannon Hogan.
So when Nelson says the transition to playing for the Colorado Avalanche five days later was tough, that interview on the bench at UBS is a reminder that it was genuine.