CHL to NHL: Nielsen suits up with Avalanche

Former Calgary Hitmen and Vancouver Giants forward Tristen Nielsen made his NHL debut with the Colorado Avalanche Tuesday night.

In a 3-2 win over Tampa Bay, Neilsen played 5:25 and recorded four hits.

Across parts of six WHL seasons from 2015-2021, the Fort St. John, B.C. native played in 241 games and tallied 175 points. He played 109 games with Calgary after he was the 20th overall pick in the 2015 WHL Draft before a trade to Vancouver saw him conclude his career with 132 appearances for the Giants.

Undrafted into the NHL, Nielsen has spent the past five seasons in the AHL where he’s played 242 games. He spent the first four years with the Abbotsford Canucks – and won a Calder Cup with the franchise last season – before he joined the Colorado franchise in the offseason. This season, he has five goals and nine points in 11 games with the Eagles.

You know the drill, rookie lap time! pic.twitter.com/fz43UR20f6

— Colorado Avalanche (@Avalanche) November 5, 2025