The Colorado Avalanche announced today that forwards Tristen Nielsen and Jason Polin have been reassigned to the team’s AHL affiliate, the Colorado Eagles.
Polin was originally recalled to the Avalanche’s NHL roster on Nov. 21, while Nielsen was recalled on Nov. 20. Nielsen got into three games during this recall, while Polin drew into two.
The Avalanche did not surrender a goal in both games where Polin and Nielsen played, with Nielsen scoring his first NHL point during the team’s win over the Chicago Blackhawks yesterday.
Both Polin and Nielsen are undrafted forwards who have spent significant time in the AHL en route to becoming NHL call-up options. Nielsen began his pro career with the Abbotsford Canucks, and won the Calder Cup with the team in 2024-25.
Polin, 26, had a four-year college hockey career at Western Michigan University, where he starred as a senior, scoring 30 goals and 47 points in 39 games. Polin was a finalist for the Hobey Baker Memorial Award as a senior, and was his conference’s player of the year.
While neither player has fully established himself in the NHL to this point, (and their recent recall further underscores that), it’s clear they have at least earned the trust of the Avalanche to the point where they’ll be called on to fill NHL roles in instances where injuries hit.
This season doesn’t carry major financial implications for Nielsen, who remains under contract through 2026-27 at a $775K cap hit (with a two-way structure and total guarantee of $225K next season) it is, however, an important one for Polin. Polin is a pending unrestricted free agent who will have the opportunity in the summer to leave the only pro organization he’s ever known, assuming he does not sign an extension beforehand.
Polin is currently playing out a one-year, two-way contract carrying a league-minimum NHL cap hit and a $140K guarantee at the AHL level. AHL veterans have had some difficulty in recent years securing contracts to continue their career in the AHL due to the league’s development rule, which caps the number of players a team can dress for any game that have cleared a specific threshold of professional games played.
For Polin, this is where his extensive NCAA career comes in handy. By developing his game in the NCAA, he has limited his exposure to pro hockey, leaving him at this point with just 115 total pro games played. That gives him a solid amount of runway before teams will need to consider the AHL’s development rule when signing him, which should alleviate some of the pressure on him heading into an important unrestricted free agency.
Now back in the AHL thanks to this reassignment, it’ll be important for both Polin and Nielsen to continue playing well for the Eagles. Nielsen has nine goals and 14 points in 16 games this season, while Polin has six points through 16 games.
With other call-up options waiting in the wings, such as veterans Alex Barre-Boulet and T.J. Tynan, as well as younger contributors Ivan Ivan and Taylor Makar, it’ll be important for Nielsen and Polin to sustain their momentum in a crowded field of call-up options.