At All Florida Hockey we recognize outstanding Florida youth hockey player Niels Christensen, 2008 14U center.
Niels became interested in hockey and stepped onto the ice for the first time at the age of 3, and spent many weekends attending learn to skate classes before finally starting the in-house league at 5 years old.
Soon thereafter, Niels made the jump to travel hockey with the Miami Toros 8U in 2014, and during his last year of 8U he was double-rostered, playing both as a 2nd year Mite, and playing up with the 10U Squirts.
The Miami Toros 10U went on to win the SAHOF State Championship for the 10UA in the 2016-2017 season while Niels was still just a Mite!
That same team would go on to State Finals two out of the following four years, losing a one-goal clincher in double overtime in the climax of the 10UA 2018-2019 season while Niels was a 2nd year Squirt.
Two years later, as a 2nd year Pee Wee, the Miami Toros went to the semi-finals against the CFHC Bears who until then had remained undefeated throughout the regular 2020-2021 season.
A hard-fought game ended with a 2-0 Toros victory, as the Toros scored a late goal to break a 0-0 tie with only minutes on the clock, and then finished with an empty netter with seconds remaining.
Late in that game, Niels was injured, receiving a nasty cut to one of his fingers, yet still managed to finish the game, playing the last shift with his glove stuffed with napkins to slow the bleeding. That semi-finals game took a toll on the team, and they ended up losing in the championship round to the scrappy Florida Warriors to end the 2020-2021 season, and Niels time as a Pee Wee.
His most recent SAHOF season, 2021-2022, Niels played for the Coral Springs Makos 14U as a first year Bantam, while also attending the TPH Center of Excellence for school and hockey training.
Niels was named assistant captain to the Makos Bantam team, and finished the season with 52 points (33 goals and 19 assists) in 44 games. Alongside the regular SAHOF travel season, Niels also played on the Florida Alliance tournament team during the 2021-2022 season.
Already this year, since the Spring of 2022, Niels has attended numerous tournaments and showcases, including the USA Hockey Development Camp where he was selected for the 2008 all-star game, the CCM Blue Chip Invite in Boston, MA, where he finished with 7 points in 5 games. Niels was also selected to participate in the Triple Crown of Hockey in Nashville, TN, and the Dallas Stars Elite Hockey Club Spring Showcase, in Dallas.
When not in a rink or on the ice Niels is constantly assembling, disassembling, designing, and building all types of things including his own gaming PC, furniture, and a pit motor bike.
Niels enjoys following the stock market, and with the assistance of his mom, frequently buys and sells stock. He has also started his own power washing company to help offset hockey expenses!
Niels recently discovered a new passion for snow skiing and took charge of researching and scheduling a family trip to Breckenridge for spring break.
Niels is very excited and proud to be selected for the Florida Alliance AAA team for the upcoming 2022-2023 season, and is looking forward to another successful year at the Total Package Hockey Center of Excellence in Ft Lauderdale, Florida.
For our Player Spotlight, All Florida Hockey recognizes Niels Christensen for his exceptional performance throughout, his dedication to the game and his perseverance as our Outstanding Florida Youth Hockey Player for June of 2022.
Congratulations to Niels Christensen!