Sometimes in hockey it appears there's just a "poof" moment when it all falls magically into place.
At least that's how it must appear to fans when it comes to a guy such as Brock Nelson.
Brock who?
Exactly.
New York Islanders fans certainly know Nelson now, and if the early returns from the 2014-15 season are any indication, it won't be long before lots of hockey fans hear the name and nod their heads appreciatively.
Two games into the season, Nelson has six points on three goals and three assists and is tied with a guy named Sidney Crosby for the league lead in point production.
It's not like head coach Jack Capuano rubbed an old lamp he found in his office at Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum and a big, talented center appeared out of the smoke, though frankly, that's a better -- or at least more evocative -- story.
Capuano knows the path out of obscurity isn't nearly that neat and tidy.
The Isles coach knew Nelson as a rail-thin, 180-pound rookie at the Islanders' development camp a few years back, after they made him the 30th overall pick in the 2010 entry draft.
He has seen him evolve from a solid American Hockey League prospect -- he scored 25 goals and collected 52 points in just 66 games two years ago -- into a young man learning the NHL game the past season and occasionally finding his way onto the power play or penalty kill.
Now Nelson is well over 200 pounds, having focused on getting bigger and stronger with a more explosive skating stride, and Capuano decided the Warroad, Minnesota, native, whose uncle Dave Christian was part of the 1980 Miracle on Ice Olympic gold medal team, can handle the pressure of being the team's No. 2 center.
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James Guillory/USA TODAY SportsIslanders forward Brock Nelson had 14 goals and 12 assists in 72 games the past season.
"When I think of Brock Nelson, I think of a guy that has a very high hockey IQ. Tremendous intelligence of the game," Capuano told ESPN.com before the Islanders (2-0) prepared for what promises to be an emotional home tilt against the New York Rangers on Tuesday.
The Isles coach said he has always been impressed by Nelson's ability to play on both sides of the puck, but when he came to the NHL, Capuano wanted Nelson to use his skill more and not play it safe, as many young players do in simply trying to stay in an NHL lineup.
Now that is happening with Nelson, who has been playing with Ryan Strome and newcomer Mikhail Grabovski, as well as getting top power-play minutes.
"So far, I've been able to be on the fortunate end of a couple of nice plays," Nelson told ESPN.com.
With a significant change in personnel in the offseason, Nelson said he knew there would be opportunities for a different or expanded role.
"If you go out there and execute, you're going to build trust with the coaching staff," he said. "Whenever you get that opportunity, you want to take advantage of it. I want to grab this by the horns."
The past season, when he played 72 games for the Islanders, Nelson stayed first in a local hotel and then roomed with defenseman Thomas Hickey. The two are continuing to share a place, though Nelson insists they aren't thinking ahead to the team's move to Brooklyn next season.
"I know everybody has the move in the back of their mind, stored away," he said.
But the focus has been on a solid start to this season.
He said the atmosphere for Saturday's home opener, a win over Carolina, reminded him of the team's playoff series against Pittsburgh two springs ago.
"I think guys are pretty dialed in and want to make a splash," Nelson said.
If Nelson predictably downplays his early success, one person who doesn't is longtime Islander and broadcast analyst Butch Goring. He said Nelson was the best player in the Islanders training camp, including higher profile veterans.
"You have to have those guys down the middle," Goring said. "This guy has enough ability to bring some offense. His game has just evolved so much so quickly."
And there's the intriguing future landscape of the Brock Nelson story.
Sure, his mini point explosion out of the gate has created some nice buzz for a team desperate to get back to the postseason after missing out this past year. But it's the long-term impact that will be interesting to follow.
Nelson has played some wing, and there were some who thought he might start the season playing on the Isles' top line with captain John Tavares and Kyle Okposo. But Capuano opted to use Cory Conacher on the top line and Nelson as the second line anchor.
If Nelson grows into that role, the Isles will look like this down the middle: Tavares, Nelson, Frans Nielsen and Casey Cizikas, with a number of other wingers who have some experience at center.
"It's as strong as we've ever been [down the middle]," Capuano said.
Goring, for one, believes the Isles will find their way into the top eight in the conference, but after that, a lot will depend on how the rest of the season goes for the team's currently unheralded scoring star.
"How far they go, a lot will depend on how much more Brock continues to develop," Goring said.
"Poof" moment indeed. (Link to Story)
