Tristen Nielsen having Giant final season in WHL

KAMLOOPS, B.C. – Fort St. John product Tristen Nielsen is writing an impressive final act to his Western Hockey League script in a year that doesn’t guarantee anything.

What makes this season different for Nielsen is that he is an overage player, meaning he has to go on to professional hockey or Canadian Interuniversity Sport to continue playing hockey at an elite level. Add to that a daily grind of being bound to your hotel room without the opportunity to escape for a break from the stress, and it may be enough to keep you up at night.

Nielsen and the Giants had to wait a full calendar year between WHL games. After quarantining for 14 days and adapting to life in a hub, Nielsen says it took a game to shake off the rust.

“We got popped in our first game. I didn’t think we were ready to play. Then we came out and had our five-game win streak, so I think the guys turned it around pretty well,” says Nielsen.

Nielsen exploded for 11 points during the win streak, including a 3 goal, 2 assist performance to kick off the string of victories.

The league has created hubs for each division to play a shortened season, but there will not be a Memorial Cup champion as the CHL cancelled the tournament for the second year.

Adding to the sense of urgency to showcase his talents to pro scouts, the WHL is leaning towards limiting playoff hockey.

“Last I heard, the plan was to have second place play third place, and first place gets a bye. It’s a best-of-one series, and the winner takes on first place for the B.C. division title. I also heard with COVID-19 numbers rising, we don’t know how long it will continue.”

Following a 2019-2020 campaign that saw him win the Most Improved Player, White Spot Humanitarian of the Year, and the Gordie Howe Top Scorer award, Nielsen was invited to the San Jose Sharks’ summer conditioning camp and main tryout camps. Unfortunately, COVID-19 restrictions threw his plans into the blender.

“I was supposed to go to their development camp and their rookie camp, and obviously with COVID-19, that didn’t happen. That was tough luck, but for me right now, my focus is to get a pro deal.”

The consolation for a player like Nielsen if pro hockey doesn’t work out is a year of Canadian University tuition fully paid for every season he played in the WHL.

“Obviously, I’ll explore my options and try to play hockey as long as I can. But if I end up going to school, I wouldn’t be disappointed. I could look back on my career and be happy, but I’d be way more satisfied if I could make a pro career out of it.”

One skill that Nielsen has been developing over countless hours is his shot. He has his dad and his Fort St. John roots to thank for that, as he was given a challenge at a young age.

“We had an unfinished basement in my house, so my dad built a net out of plywood, and I’d shoot at it. He used to say, every time I broke through the plywood, I could have a new stick.”

As Nielsen’s shot got harder and more accurate, he was picking apart the OSB plywood sheets faster than his dad could replace them.

“Eventually, he’d be putting more pieces of plywood up to make it last longer, so he wasn’t spending money on sticks all the time.”

During the offseason, when he was back in Fort St. John, Nielsen had another net built.

“I was in Fort St. John most of December, and we actually built another net in my dad’s shop, and I was doing the same thing like the old days. It’s actually kind of funny; it brought back some good memories.”

Aside from his family, Nielsen made sure to give a shout-out to his first-ever power skating coach for his success in the WHL.

“Phil Hiscock was my first power skating coach, and I remember we used to do the Brad Fast camps and everything. When I came home over Christmas, I would skate with him and the guys at the high school; it’s really fun.”

From breaking through OSB plywood sheets in his basement to lighting the lamp in the Western Hockey League, Tristen Nielsen is making his community proud.