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WHL Portland Winterhawks

Winterhawks Alum Nino Niederreiter Signs Two-Year Contract with Nashville Predators

July 21, 2022 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Portland Winterhawks News Release


Former Portland Winterhawks forward Nino Niederreiter today signed a two-year, $8-million contract with the Nashville Predators of the National Hockey League.

Niederreiter, 29, is entering his 12th full professional season and is set to join his fourth NHL team in the 2022-23 season. Last season, the Swiss sniper bagged 24 goals and 44 points with the Carolina Hurricanes during the regular season and added another four goals and an assist through 14 playoff games. Through 732 games across parts of 11 NHL seasons, Niederreiter has posted 181 goals and 187 assists for 368 points. Additionally, he boasts 54 points in 80 American Hockey League games.

Nino Niederreiter (left) and Ryan Johansen (right) reunite in Nashville after playing together in Portland during from 2009-11.

Prior to turning pro on a full-time basis, Niederreiter spent two years as a Winterhawks standout from 2009-11, averaging more than a point per game with 77 goals and 130 points in 120 WHL games. Niederreiter notched 60 points during his rookie campaign in Portland, good for fourth in team scoring, while starring for Switzerland in the World Junior Championship and men's World Championship. In year two, Niederreiter returned from a stint in the NHL to record career-best totals in goals (41), assists (29) and points (70) to rank fifth among the 2010-11 Western Conference-winning Winterhawks. That season also saw Niederreiter captain the Swiss team to a fourth-place finish at the World Junior Championship.

Originally selected fifth overall by the New York Islanders during the 2010 NHL Entry Draft, Niederreiter made his NHL debut during the 2010-11 season with one goal and one assist with the Islanders during a nine-game trial before being reassigned to the Winterhawks for his second and final season in Portland.

After splitting the 2011-12 season between New York and Bridgeport (AHL) and spending all of the 2012-13 season in the AHL with the Sound Tigers, Niederreiter was dealt to the Minnesota Wild, where he spent five full seasons and part of a sixth. During the 2018-19 season, Niederreiter was again traded, this time to the Hurricanes where he has thrived for the last three seasons.

Niederreiter's signing in Nashville reunites him with former Portland teammate and current Predators center Ryan Johansen, with whom he spent two years in the Rose City. Fellow Winterhawks alum Cody Glass is also part of the Predators' organization, having signed a new deal earlier this year.

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Season Ticket Memberships and 20-Game Plans are now on sale for the 2022-23 season. Season Ticket Memberships are the best way to never miss a second of the action, including the same great seat to all 34 Winterhawks games at Veterans Memorial Coliseum. 20-Game Plans allow flexibility while still containing a guaranteed 20 nights of excitement! To learn more about all available ticketing options, visit Winterhawks.com.

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Western Hockey League Stories from July 21, 2022


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