LOVELAND, Colo. — We’re just over a week away from the start of the 2025–26 season, and as always, training camp is full of unfamiliar names and faces. One player Colorado Eagles’ fans may already be familiar with is former Abbotsford Canuck (VAN) Tristen Nielsen.

Nielsen signed as an undrafted free agent with Abbotsford in 2021. He’s a 5’10” left-shooting forward who weighs in at 192 pounds. Through four seasons with the Canucks, he played 231 regular-season games, putting up 52 goals and 63 assists. Last year, he topped that off with an additional five goals and four assists in the playoffs. He helped Abbotsford eliminate the Eagles in the third round before winning the Calder Cup.

I had a chance to ask Nielsen about his experience and his decision to come to Colorado. But first, of course, I asked him how it felt to win the Calder Cup.

“It was awesome,” Nielsen said. “Whenever you can win, it’s always makes the year a lot more enjoyable. No matter your personal success, it’s always nice to get the accomplishment that the team wants every year.”

Nielsen cites a strong work ethic as one of his most defining characteristics. He likes to be the first one in every morning. He says he’s competitive, and not just with hockey.

“I think I’m just overall competitive in anything.” He laughed at this point. “I mean, my fiancé hates it, but no matter what it is, I want to win.”

And it’s more than showing up at the rink first. After signing with Colorado, he arrived in the state early in order to have more time to acclimate to the higher altitude before training camp started. The first week was a real adjustment period, but he’s more used to the thin air now. Nielsen says the bigger change has been getting used to the basics of living in the US after a lifetime in Canada — dealing with miles per hour rather than kilometers, and the cost of gas being by the gallon rather than by the liter.

Adjusting to a different hockey system isn’t a problem, though. Last season alone, Abbotsford played Colorado eight times in the regular season and an additional five times in the playoffs, so Nielsen is quite familiar with the Eagles and their style of play. It’s part of what drew him to sign with the team.

“I like the way they play,” Nielsen told Hockey Mountain High. “They play with pace, they’re fast, they’re physical, they’re hard to play against, and I just felt like it fit my skill set really well. And I like the organization a lot. I think they give every player an opportunity, no matter what deal you’re on or anything like that.” Nielsen also mentioned the camaraderie of the team.” I’ve heard nothing but good things about the guys. I’ve heard they’re a really tight-knit group, and it makes me really excited to be here.”

And Nielsen knows about the hardcore fans as well.

“The fans here are always amazing to play in front of and I know they like a winning organization,” Nielsen said. “So coming here, I just hope that I can help do that.”

Tristen Nielsen Interview on October 1, 2025