An NHL insider is sure Minneapolis native Brock Nelson will end up with the Minnesota Wild. Could it be this season?

It has been two months since we did a Wild mailbag and several months since we did an ‘Ask Russo and Smith’ mailbag, but with Joe back on the clock, there’s no better time to answer many of your questions.

The New York Islanders likely won't be making the playoffs this season, and trade rumors have begun to appear linking their star Brock Nelson to five teams.

The Washington Capitals currently sit atop the NHL standings and hope that success translates to the postseason, and per industry sources, they've looked at New York Islanders forward Brock Nelson as a potential rental option.

The Capitals have $3.65 million in available cap space, leaving them unable to absorb Nelson’s $6 million cap hit outright. According to Rosner, the Islanders "may be willing to retain some of his cap hit in any trade-deadline deal they make."

According to industry sources, the Washington Capitals have checked in on New York Islanders ' pending unrestricted free agent forward, Brock Nelson. While any potential team that acquires Nelson would likely want him to extend, given the cost, the Capitals are believed to have no issue with him being a pure rental.

New York Islanders forward Brock Nelson has become a hot topic on the NHL trade market as chatter heats up everywhere you look. Nelson has been linked to a few

The Maple Leafs need a centre and will try to get one before the March 7 NHL trade deadline. Who makes sense? Jonas and CJ weigh in.

Nelson, 33, is a coveted acquisition for contenders looking to add immediate impact down the middle of the ice. He becomes an unrestricted free agent on July 1, so given the circumstances, Nelson's 12 years on Long Island are likely to come to an end by the March 7 trade deadline.

As a pending unrestricted free agent with a $6-million cap hit, Nelson is seen as the ideal rental for teams looking to bolster their lineup ahead of the playoffs with the Islanders expected to miss the postseason, thus becoming sellers at the deadline.

Brent Sutter was inducted into the Islanders’ Hall of Fame, Brock Nelson passed him on the franchise’s all-time goals list, moving into fifth place alone.

Mathew Barzal and Brock Nelson each had a goal and an assist and the New York Islanders beat the San Jose Sharks 4-1