One of the dark horses from training camp has been rewarded by the Colorado Avalanche for his hard work.
Big news from the Colorado Avalanche today: the team has officially signed forward Tristen Nielsen to a two-year contract through the 2026-27 season.
Nielsen initially inked an AHL deal with the Colorado Eagles on August 1, 2025, and earned an invite to Avalanche training camp. He’s off to an impressive start with the Eagles this season, recording seven points in seven games (three goals, four assists), which ties him for the team lead in scoring and ranks third in assists. None of this is particularly surprising, as Nielsen emerged during training camp and the preseason as one of the standout dark-horse performers. Others who impressed in that same stretch include Jason Polin and Gavin Brindley, the latter of whom made the opening-night roster and has been contributing at a high level.
A native of Fort St. John, British Columbia, Nielsen was a pivotal contributor to the 2025 Calder Cup-winning Abbotsford Canucks. In the 2024-25 campaign, he tallied 28 points over 67 games and added nine points in 24 playoff contests — both marking career highs for postseason production. His five playoff goals were tied for fifth-most on the Abbotsford roster.
The 5-foot-10, 192-pound forward has methodically developed his professional resume since turning pro ahead of the 2021-22 season. He spent four seasons with Abbotsford before joining the Avalanche organization, compiling 122 points (55 goals, 67 assists) in 238 regular-season AHL games and adding 17 points in 36 Calder Cup playoff contests. Nielsen signed an entry-level contract with Vancouver in 2023 after posting an AHL career-high 41 points in 64 games the previous season, and he has reached double-digit goals in each of his last four campaigns.
Prior to turning professional, Nielsen skated six seasons in the WHL with the Calgary Hitmen and Vancouver Giants, amassing 175 points in 241 games. He served as an alternate captain for Vancouver in 2020-21 and finished tied for eighth in league scoring during the COVID-shortened season. He also participated in 26 WHL playoff games and was teammates with current Avalanche goaltender Trent Miner from 2018 to 2021.
Nielsen has been a model of consistency and productivity while steadily refining his game. The Avalanche are unquestionably stronger with him in the fold, and now the 25-year-old southpaw has been rewarded accordingly by the organization.
For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.