Braden Wilson has spent last season and this season in the USPHL playing for teams in Washington and Colorado.

Recently, the Fort Collins native was traded from the Colorado Fighting Elk to the Diamond Valley Rockies, a team north of the border in the Canadian province of Alberta.

“I had the opportunity to coach Wilson last season and I’ve developed a great relationship with him, both on and off the field,” said Rockies coach-GM Riley Smith. “This deal took some time to finalize, but we believe it represents another important step toward achieving our ultimate goal — a championship.”

Wilson added that he’s excited to head to Diamond Valley.

“Last year, I went to a few NCDC camps where there were scouts for different leagues,” Wilson said. “I got in touch with some USPHL coaches and that’s how I actually met the Diamond Valley coach, which is what caused this opportunity to go play there come up. I want to go to Canada because it’s the home of hockey and I have a lot of buddies that play out there and love it. I’m looking forward to having fun with my teammates and getting to meet new people and play some good hockey.

“My junior hockey experience has been really good so far and I’ve loved every minute of it.”

Growing up, Wilson said he doesn’t really remember how he first got involved in hockey, only that he started at a young age.

“I grew up watching the Avalanche and they were a big inspiration to where I wanted to get to,” said Wilson. “I played for NCYH and Hyland Hills and my favorite coaches were Coach Swanson and Coach Marty. My highlights were team trips and hotel experiences with the team and getting to play with a bunch of my friends.”

Moving forward, Wilson has simple goals in mind as he continues his hockey career.

“My long-term goal with hockey is to make it to the highest level I can,” Wilson said. “I’ve decided to not go to college and pursue trade school, so I’m looking to play semi-pro or professional hockey instead of college hockey.”

Photos/Ellie MacDonald

— Matt Mackinder

(November 16, 2025)