How Canucks’ Top Dogs night changed Tristen Nielsen’s life

by Chris Faber | AHL On The Beat

It was a sunny afternoon last March 16 when Abbotsford Canucks forward Tristen Nielsen was handed a puppy and was told to walk in with it, as the team was helping promote the Heart and Soul Dog & Cat Rescue Society’s dogs who were up for adoption.

The intention was for the players to walk in with the dogs as the Canucks’ social media team took photos for them to post and help raise awareness for dogs who needed a forever home.

At the time, Nielsen’s fiancee, Sarah, discussed that they wanted to have a puppy to grow up with their newborn daughter, Taytum, who had been born a month earlier.

As Nielsen pulled up to the morning skate, he saw the social media team holding a puppy that immediately caught his eye.

“I didn’t even say hi, I just said, ‘Oh my God, whose dog is that?’,” Nielsen recalled. “And they told me it is mine to carry in. She was so calm and relaxed. She was such a docile dog, and I remember coming home and there was already a photo on Instagram that my fiancee saw. As soon as I walked through the door, she asked me if we were going to get that dog.”

Not even a week later, they went to see the puppy and came home with their beautiful fur-baby Oakley, becoming a family of four.

“I’m a big believer in adopting a dog who is in need,” said Nielsen. “You can save a dog’s life or save it from being in a pound. It’s huge, and I recommend to people to adopt if they have the opportunity to do so.”

Nielsen remembers getting a chance to help raise funds for dog adoption during his time playing in the Western Hockey League with the Calgary Hitmen. He noted that he has always had a soft spot for dogs and that he wants to continue to be supportive to initiatives like the Abbotsford Canucks’ Top Dogs night.

Between their baby girl and their four-legged friend, Nielsen and his fiancee are incredibly happy with how their family is evolving.

“We’re almost at the American dream,” said Nielsen with a laugh. “It’s been so cool seeing them both grow up. My girls are best friends now and Oakley is always hanging around with my daughter when she’s crawling around. It seems like they are always beside each other.
If my daughter is doing something, Oakley is typically right there too.

“This has been the best year of my life,” he continued, smiling. “The engagement, the baby being born, the puppy being adopted, and even with just being back in Abbotsford again and continuing to play with this organization – it’s been great. Everything about my life is where I want it to be. Obviously, you can always get better and move up a level, but I am happy with where I’m at and I just want to continue to work on my hockey. But I am so grateful for having a family that is going to support you.”

Those who watch Nielsen play know his style is relentless aggression and his game has looked like that since he put on a pair of skates. His head coach Manny Malhotra loves the energy that Nielsen brings on the ice and in the weight room with his teammates.

“He’s right in the middle of everything, which is very much his personality,” said Malhotra. “He’s very well-liked by his teammates and just a great person. He is very caring and extremely easy to talk to. From a development standpoint, in terms of a hockey player, he’s the type of guy who wants to be given negative and positive feedback. He is just a great person to have around.”

Malhotra had a long career that saw him win a Calder Cup and play in 991 games in the National Hockey League. The 44-year-old Abbotsford bench boss, and father of four, now gets an opportunity to see his players evolve their lives away from the rink as he did during his playing days.

“I always get really excited when guys are having kids,” said Malhotra. “There’s the element of becoming a father, and that is a huge stage in life. Your perspectives on sleep, training, and life in general are altered when you have kids. Watching these young guys grow into parents and adults while at the same time managing their game is an exciting thing as a coach.

“I have found that the impact of having kids on a guy’s game is usually a positive. You find a different purpose for playing. You find a different level of engagement and purpose to your game.”

Nielsen has certainly found that new perspective and he owes it to his daughter, his fiancee, and his furry friend Oakley. As he continues along in his fourth season in the AHL with the Abbotsford Canucks, his home life is secure.

And though it can be chaotic at times, Nielsen would not want to have it any other way. He loves his girls and knows that no matter what happens at the rink, they will be excited to see him when he gets home.