Preissing played for Colorado College of the Western Collegiate Hockey Association (WCHA) and was a top-ten finalist for the Hobey Baker Award; he also captained the Tigers in his senior year.
He was praised for making the step directly from college to the NHL without stopping in the American Hockey League (AHL) and was named San Jose's rookie of the year in 2004.
[8] After stepping up his play Preissing was then hampered by illness and upon recovery was assigned to the Kings affiliate, the Manchester Monarchs of the AHL on March 4, 2009, for the rest of the season.
[10] After a conditioning stint with Colorado's AHL affiliate, the Lake Erie Monsters, Preissing made his Avalanche debut in an 8–2 loss to the Vancouver Canucks on November 14, 2009.
[12] Despite leading the Monsters defense with 31 points in 49 games, his considerably large contract meant he was placed on waivers for the purpose of a buy out of his final year from the Avalanche on June 30, 2010.
Under the agreement, he first joined Kazakh team Barys Astana of the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL), to start the 2010–11 season on a two-month loan through to November in order to attain game conditioning.
[17] In 29 games, Preissing contributed seven points before leaving at year's end to sign with Swedish club Rögle BK of the Elitserien on a one-year contract on July 15, 2012.