Center Danny Nelson could have joined the Islanders organization this past season after his Junior year at Notre Dame. The Isles’ second-round pick in 2023 played in 36 games for the Fighting Irish in 2025-26 and tallied 13 goals and 16 assists for a new career high 29 points. He won two gold medals playing for Team USA at the 2024 and 2025 World Junior Championship and he seemed ready to turn pro.
But a very special situation has brought him back to South Bend for his Senior season in 2026-27.
The native of Maple Grove, Minnesota was already playing with his brother Henry, who will be a senior defenseman at Notre Dame but once his younger brother Sammy Nelson committed to the Fighting Irish for his Freshman season, the opportunity was too good to pass up.
Danny NelsonPeter Schwartz
The Islanders will have to wait because Nelson is going to be able to play with both of his brothers for a season at Notre Dame.
“Yeah, definitely looking forward to that,” said Nelson after day one of Islanders Development Camp on Monday at Northwell Health Ice Center in East Meadow.
Had Sammy chosen another school, Nelson would probably be a Hamilton Hammer this season and getting his first taste of pro hockey in the Islanders organization. But once Sammy committed to Notre Dame, how do you say no to playing a season of college hockey with your brothers?
He couldn’t and now there is a chance that he could be on the ice together with Henry and Sammy if the situation comes to fruition. Sammy is a forward, so perhaps there will be a chance for Danny and Sammy to be on the same line while Henry is on the ice playing defense.
“Hoping for that,” said Nelson. “We’ll see if that happens but it would be a lot of fun if that comes to be. I’m just very excited to be there with them and get to experience that.”
While he is looking forward to his senior season, Nelson is using this week at Islanders Development Camp to improve his game and get used to the surroundings for when he joins the Islanders organization. That could come as soon as this spring when the college hockey season ends and Nelson potentially joins Hamilton for the rest of the 2026-27 season.
This week, he is learning under Hamilton Head Coach Jay McKee and some of the other coaches running the camp.
“I think just getting a few pointers and to tell me what it’s going to take to make the next level,” said Nelson. “To take a few things to back to work on is my biggest goal and to get used to things around here and to get to meet all the coaches and all the new guys. It’s very important to get used to how things are done around here and pick up some things to try and bring back to college before I eventually come back here.”
And this week is also about getting to know some of his potential future AHL and NHL teammates like 2025 first-round picks Kashawn Aitcheson and Victor Eklund along with other Islanders prospects like Cole Eiserman, Quinn Finley, Daniil Prokhorov and Isaiah George.
“I’m extremely excited,” said Nelson. “Seeing all these guys here excites me and getting to know these guys and then see some of them succeed in the NHL and the AHL it’s very cool to see how they’ve progressed and the opportunity that’s there.”
Nelson was part of Development Camp last year and experienced the excitement of Islanders fans when they were able to see first overall pick Matthew Schaefer on the ice for the first time in an Islanders jersey. Nelson played in the Blue vs White scrimmage last year which drew a sellout crowd to Northwell Health Ice Center.
He will get to experience that again on Wednesday and appreciates that the fans have been coming out to watch hockey during the off-season.
“It’s awesome,” said Nelson. “To see the fans out here is amazing. They’re here on a (weekday) at Development Camp. Just knowing what we saw last year at the scrimmage, I’m really excited for that and we definitely feel their support.”
The Islanders and their fans would have loved to have seen Danny Nelson turn pro this season and take the next step towards eventually becoming an NHL player. But good things come to those who wait and Nelson will be here in the not to distant future.
He just wants to enjoy his senior season at Notre Dame playing with his brothers, an opportunity too good to pass up.
