The Red Deer, Alta., native is playing a key role on the Toronto Marlies blue line a little more than a year after the Leafs drafted him in the third round of the 2015 NHL Draft. In fact, Neilsen has been playing so well, he’s the club’s top scoring defenceman and has quickly established himself as one of the organization’s best blue line prospects. And though he’s one of the Marlies’ youngest players, in hockey terms, Neilsen is a late bloomer. The seed for Neilsen’s success was planted when he worked as a stick boy for his hometown WHL team, the Red Deer Rebels. There were other Red Deer natives who inspired Neilsen, including Minnesota Wild defenceman Matt Dumba and Edmonton Oilers star Ryan Nugent-Hopkins.

Source: thestar February 10, 2017 04:52 UTC