Nelson adjusted well to the USHL in a short amount of time after a late-season change of scenery from Minnesota high school, which bodes well for his ability to grow and adapt to higher levels as well. He has strong four-way mobility, being able to cover a lot of ice while exerting minimal effort. He is a smooth skater and is strong on his edges. He is able to identify open space and understands when it is an appropriate time for him to go deep into the offensive zone to open up passing options, but he is also agile and quick enough to retreat and get back into defensive coverage when play collapses up ice. His shot is impressive, displaying accuracy from the blue line. If he works to improve the power in his release it could become an even more notable weapon. He understands when to shoot and when to be conservative and look for other options. He shows good patience and decision-making with the puck, even while under pressure. He displays strong vision and is able to find his teammates with long, accurate stretch passes to start breakouts. He will need to make his short-range passes harder, as he often passes the puck too lightly to his nearby teammates, making them vulnerable to getting picked off. In the defensive zone he does a fine job, getting into lanes to block passes and shots, but he could be more aggressive at times, giving up too much space to allow opponents to get into the slot too easily. He can also have trouble defending one-on-one, missing attempts to poke pucks away and not being able to shut down opponents along the boards. Nelson has the potential to become a regular 200-foot contributor to whichever team drafts him, with the ability to play on both special teams and eat up minutes.

– FCHockey’s 2021 NHL Draft Guide