NHL insider Arthur Staple of The Athletic mentioned Nelson as a trade candidate in his mailbag column on August 1.

With Nelson in the final year of his deal, Staple says if the Islanders aren’t in a playoff spot come the trade deadline, the insider expects Nelson to be dealt.

“A lot of the Nelson discourse could be settled by how the season goes. If the Islanders are securely in a playoff spot then Lamoriello is going to add at the deadline; if they’re well out of it, Nelson immediately rises to the top of the list of Isles who could fetch a sizable return,” Staple wrote…

“f has been the team’s most consistent player the last five years, so I’m not firmly in the trade camp here. A lot rides on this season — unless Lamoriello decides to extend Nelson before this year begins,” Staple added.

Nelson has been with the Islanders since being drafted 30th overall in the 2012 NHL draft. He has skated in 840 NHL games recording 275 goals and 256 assists for 531 points.

Despite all the trade rumors, Marner has made it clear he wants to remain with his hometown Maple Leafs.

After Toronto was eliminated in the first round of the Stanley Cup playoff, Marner spoke to the media and was adamant he wanted to be in Toronto long-term.

“That’d be a goal. I’ve expressed my love for this place, this city. Obviously, I’ve grown up here. We’ll start thinking about that now and trying to figure something out… It means the world to me,” Marner told the media on May 6.