Getting To Know: Colin Wilson

Colin Wilson is entering his first season with the Colorado Avalanche after he was acquired in a trade with the Nashville Predators on July 1.
The 27-year-old stands at 6-foot-1 and 221 pounds and is a third generation NHL forward from Greenwich, Connecticut. He was drafted by the Predators with the No. 7 overall pick in 2008 and went on to play 502 games with Nashville after making his debut in October 2009.

He appeared in 70 regular-season games for the Predators last season, tallying 35 points (12 goals and 23 assists) and finishing with a plus-7 rating. He also dressed in 14 playoff contests for Nashville during the team's trip to the Stanley Cup Final, notching four points (two goals and two assists) along the way.
Wilson holds the Predators' franchise record for goals in a single playoff series, as he scored five in six first-round games against the Chicago Blackhawks in 2015.
Wilson talked with ColoradoAvalanche.com during training camp about joining the Avs and his experiences in the NHL.
What are your early impression of the Avalanche?
"It's a young team with a lot of talent. I think it's something we can certainly build on and get better. It should be an exciting year."
What excites you the most about this upcoming season?
"Getting off to the right start. I think we have a very talented group, and there are a lot of players, great players that I have the potential to play with. It's an exciting brand of hockey to play, and I look forward to getting started."
Was it hard to leave the city of Nashville after playing there for eight seasons? What did you learn from your time with the Predators?
"It was a bittersweet feeling. I turned it into my home, so it was hard to leave home, but it was certainly time to leave. I learned a lot from Nashville. We made the playoffs six out of the eight years I was there, and I know the reasons why we were successful. I want to bring those reasons to this locker room."

How did being a third generation NHL player help prepare you to be in the position you're in today?
"There was certainly a lot of direction from my entire family. My grandfather, dad and uncles all played hockey at a high level so I was getting a lot of advice at a very young age."
What positions did the rest of the Wilson family play?
"Center and left wing. So I'm following in their footsteps."
What is your favorite NHL memory growing up?
"When Dallas won the Stanley Cup. I wasn't that big of a Stars fan, but I just remember me and all my friends were watching it and Brett Hull scored the overtime-winner. It was pretty exciting."
What is your favorite part about being a professional hockey player?
"Just living the dream that you wanted since you were a young kid. It's something you work hard at and to live out your dream is pretty exciting."

Growing up, was there a professional hockey player that you idolized?
"Jaromir Jagr. He's a very skilled player and exciting to watch."
What other professional athletes do you follow or support outside of the NHL?
"Andy Murray, the tennis player. I like him a lot."
What kind of music do you like to listen to before games to get pumped up?
"Strictly hip-hop, like Kendrick Lamar, J-Cole and Future."
What is your all-time favorite movie?
"Her"
If you weren't playing professional hockey right now, what type of career would you like to pursue?
"Something in the science field. I don't know what it would be in, but I enjoy biology and genetics. Finding ways to optimize the body and mind, discovering a way to balance your cellular levels to reach complete optimization fascinates me."