Nashville Predators President of Hockey Operations/General Manager David Poile announced that the team has signed forward Nino Niederreiter to a two-year, $8 million contract.
Niederreiter, 29 (9/08/92), posted 44 points (24g-20a) in 75 games for the Carolina Hurricanes in 2021-22, his 12th professional season. Niederreiter finished the year as the team’s third leading goal scorer and had the fifth-most points among forwards, his ninth time surpassing the 25-point mark since his NHL debut against Dallas on Oct. 9, 2010. As a veteran having also played with the New York Islanders and the Minnesota Wild, the 6-foot-2, 218-pound forward has tallied 181 goals and 187 assists in 732 career games.
Prior to being acquired by Carolina, Neiderreiter spent six seasons with the Minnesota Wild and skated in 434 games with the team. While there, he posted 228 points (110g-118a) while exceeding 30 points every year with the team and recording a career-best eight-game point streak (7g-2a) during the 2017-18 season. During his 2016-17 season, Niederreiter obtained career bests in points (57), goals (25), and assists (32), making him the team’s third-leading goal scorer; one goal behind his once again teammate Mikael Granlund. Niederreiter has appeared in the Stanley Cup Playoffs every year since 2014, playing in 82 games and posting 30 points (15g-15a). Most recently, he suited up in 14 postseason games for Carolina (4g-1a) and tied for second among the team in playoff goals during the 2021-22 playoffs.
Originally drafted by the New York Islanders in the first round (fifth overall) of the 2010 NHL Draft, Niederreiter also skated in 80 games at the AHL level with their affiliate the Bridgeport Islanders. During his short stint with the team, he collected 54 points (31g-23a) and tied for 10th in the league in goals (28) during the 2012-13 season. Prior to being drafted, Niederreiter was a member of the WHL’s Portland Winterhawks with current Predator Ryan Johansen where he tallied 60 points (36g-24a) in 65 games, leading his team in goals during the 2009-10 season. The Switzerland native has represented his country in nearly a dozen world championships at multiple levels, many times playing alongside Predators Captain Roman Josi. The duo earned silver medals playing together at the 2013 and 2018 World Championships.
