Chris Nielsen

Last updated

Chris Nielsen
Chris Nielsen.jpg
Nielsen with the San Antonio Rampage in 2005
Born (1980-02-16) February 16, 1980 (age 45)
Moshi, Tanzania
Height 6 ft 2 in (188 cm)
Weight 200 lb (91 kg; 14 st 4 lb)
Position Centre
Shot Right
Played for Columbus Blue Jackets
Kassel Huskies
NHL draft 36th overall, 1998
New York Islanders
Playing career 2000–2006

Chris Nielsen (born February 16, 1980) is a Tanzanian-born Canadian former professional ice hockey centre. [1] Nielsen was drafted in the 2nd round, 36th overall by the New York Islanders in the 1998 NHL Entry Draft. He played parts of two seasons with the Columbus Blue Jackets.

Contents

Nielsen was born in Tanzania while his Canadian father was stationed there working for the Canadian International Development Agency. His family moved back to Canada when he was three, and he grew up on a farm near the small town of Goodlands, Manitoba. [2]

Playing career

Nielsen played junior hockey with the Calgary Hitmen of the Western Hockey League. He was a member of the 1998–99 team that won the President's Cup, and got within a game of winning the Memorial Cup. He won the Doug Wickenheiser Memorial Trophy in 1999–2000 as the WHL's Humanitarian of the Year.

Nielsen turned pro in 2000, playing three seasons with the Syracuse Crunch of the American Hockey League, earning two callups to the Blue Jackets during that time. He then bounced around between the Chicago Wolves, Manitoba Moose and San Antonio Rampage of the AHL and the Laredo Bucks of the Central Hockey League before heading to Europe to play in Germany in 2005–06. Nielsen retired from professional hockey in 2006.

After retiring from hockey, Nielsen went back to school at the University of Manitoba and was the colour commentator for the Manitoba Moose at their home games. He then completed undergraduate and postgraduate medical education at the University of Calgary, graduating from the Cumming School of Medicine in 2012 and completing his residency in Orthopaedic Surgery in 2017. Dr. Nielsen then moved to Toronto for fellowship, completing his training in complex spinal surgery at Toronto Western Hospital in 2018, at which time he transitioned into the role of Clinical Associate. He is now an Attending Surgeon at University Health Network and an Assistant Professor in the Division of Orthopaedic Surgery with the Temerty Faculty of Medicine at the University of Toronto. [3] [4]

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

Regular season Playoffs
Season TeamLeagueGP G A Pts PIM GPGAPtsPIM
1995–96 Calgary Hitmen WHL 60000—————
1996–97 Calgary HitmenWHL6211193039—————
1997–98 Calgary HitmenWHL68222951311824610
1998–99 Calgary HitmenWHL7022244645211151628
1999–00 Calgary HitmenWHL6238316986131492320
2000–01 Syracuse Crunch AHL 471011212452244
2000–01 Columbus Blue Jackets NHL 294594—————
2001–02 Syracuse CrunchAHL4712122418102242
2001–02 Columbus Blue JacketsNHL232354—————
2002–03 Syracuse CrunchAHL191348—————
2002–03 Chicago Wolves AHL183474—————
2002–03 Manitoba Moose AHL3331013131412316
2003–04 Manitoba MooseAHL72471121—————
2004–05 Laredo Bucks CHL 70444—————
2004–05 San Antonio Rampage AHL54881620—————
2005–06 Kassel Huskies DEL 384111532—————
NHL totals5268148—————

International

YearTeamEventResultGPGAPtsPIM
1999 Canada WJC Silver medal icon.svg21014
2000 CanadaWJCBronze medal icon.svg73038
Junior totals940412

Awards and honours

Transactions

References

  1. ↑ "Day.1 2000 World Jr. Championship". USAToday . 2000-01-06. Retrieved 2004-05-15.
  2. ↑ "Nielsen unique road to the NHL". oursportscentral.com. 2001-04-05. Retrieved 2015-01-02.
  3. ↑ "Christopher Nielsen - UofT Division of Orthopaedic Surgery". uoftorthopaedics.ca. 2022-11-09. Retrieved 2024-04-13.
  4. ↑ "Doctor Profile". www.uhn.ca. Retrieved 2024-04-13.
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