The New York Islanders Have Reached an Agreement on a contract worth $97.6 Million with….

Similar to the Canadian team, the American squad will feature a strong starting lineup. Kyle Connor, Tage Thompson, and Cole Caufield complete the forward group, with Auston Matthews, the Tkachuk brothers (Brady and Matthew), and the Hughes brothers (Jack, Luke, and Quinn) highlighting the anticipated lineup. There is little to no place for an experienced player like Brock Nelson to join the group.

Then again, as a middle-six center, Nelson can still make the team despite his recent development into an outstanding scorer. With 21 goals in 50 games this season, he is on pace for a career-best season. He scored 37 goals in 2021–22 and 36 in 2022–23. Furthermore, Nelson has demonstrated that he can create scoring opportunities for the other players on the ice in addition to finding the back of the net himself.

The greatest concern for the native of Minnesota is whether he will still be a fantastic scorer in 2026. By the time of the Olympics, Nelson will be 34 years old, and it’s possible that his skills as a skater and a center position playmaker would deteriorate. An elderly great won’t make the squad if he can’t deliver the quickness that the USA roster will need throughout the lineup. It makes Nelson’s next seasons crucial because, if he continues to mature gracefully, as he has done the last few seasons, he can demonstrate that he deserves to be considered.

Two of the top defensemen in the league, especially in the defensive zone, are Ryan Pulock and Adam Pelech. They play disciplined, gap-sound defense and deny opponents shooting lanes. The main problem for both skaters is that they have struggled with injuries this season, and it may be the beginning of the end for their careers. They may have changed as defenseman during the course of the season by the time the Olympics get around.

Dobson also shares the other concern that Pelech and Pulock have. As both skaters would be representing Canada, which has an abundance of talented defensemen, they would need to distinguish themselves from the crowd.