Player Profile: Nino Niederreiter

Nino Niederreiter was born on September 8th, 1992, in Chur, Switzerland. He is a forward who primarily plays right and left-wing and has played for five teams in his 15-year professional hockey career. Niederreiter was the highest-drafted Swiss hockey player in NHL history until Nico Hischier was drafted first overall in 2017. The 6-foot-2, 218-pound winger has found his footing as a top-nine player for any team he has played for. Before his NHL career, he spent his early playing years in HC Davos’ junior system.

Drafted Fifth Overall by the New York Islanders

Leading up to the 2010 NHL Entry Draft, Nino Niederreiter had spent time with HC Davos’ U17 and U20 teams before he made the jump to North American hockey. Niederreiter eventually joined the Portland Winterhawks of the Western Hockey League (WHL) where he dominated for the two seasons he spent with the team.

Heading into the draft, Niederreiter posted 60 points (36G, 24A) and 68 PIMs in 65 games, establishing him as a force on the Winterhawks. This helped raise his draft stock and the New York Islanders brought in the Swiss forward with their fifth overall draft selection. Niederreiter signed his entry-level contract (ELC) on September 21st, 2010, and made his NHL debut on October 9th, 2010, making him the youngest player in Islanders history (18 years, 35 days) to make their NHL debut. He waited until October 13th against the Washington Capitals to record his first NHL goal.

In his first season with the Islanders, Niederreiter posted two points (1G, 1A) in nine games before he was sent back to the Portland Winterhawks. He tore up his second season with the team, posting 70 points (41G, 29A), 67 PIMs, and a plus-minus of plus-28 in 55 games. He added 27 points (9G, 18A) in 21 games in the Winterhawks 2011 playoff run, but the Winterhawks fell short in the WHL championship in five games to the Kootenay Ice.

Niederreiter returned to the Islanders in the 2011-12 season, but he posted only one goal in 55 games and tacked on a plus-minus of minus-29. He later spent the 2012-13 season with the Bridgeport Sound Tigers, the New York Islanders American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate due to the NHL lockout. Niederreiter posted an impressive 50 points (28G, 22A) in 74 games, but wasn’t invited to the Islanders’ training camp leading to the young forward requesting a trade.

Traded to the Minnesota Wild, then to the Carolina Hurricanes

On June 30th, 2013, Niederreiter was traded to the Minnesota Wild in exchange for Cal Clutterbuck and a 2013 third-round pick (previously owned by New Jersey). Niederreiter was given a big opportunity along with more playing time with the Wild, posting 36 points (14G, 22A) in 81 games with the Wild. He later signed a three-year contract extension to stay in Minnesota and another five-year contract extension which later was traded to Carolina in year two.

Niederreiter wouldn’t be sent down to the AHL again after his debut season with the Minnesota Wild. He would spend five full seasons with the Wild and parts of a sixth before being traded to the Carolina Hurricanes on January 17th, 2019, for Victor Rask. Niederreiter posted 23 points (9G, 14A) in 46 games before the trade, and once he got to Carolina, he exploded in offence for the remaining 36 games of the 2018-19 season.

Niederreiter went on to post 30 points (14G, 16A) in 36 games with the Hurricanes, a scoring pace he hasn’t matched since. His final season with the Hurricanes was in 2021-22 where he posted 44 points (24G, 20A) in 75 games. The Hurricanes didn’t extend Niederreiter and he became an unrestricted free agent (UFA) on July 1st, 2022.

Signed in Nashville, Traded to Winnipeg, Extended in Winnipeg

Niederreiter didn’t sign a contract with any team until July 21st, 2022 when the Nashville Predators signed him to a two-year contract. Even though Niederreiter was producing in Nashville, posting 28 points (18G, 10A) in 56 games, the Predators weren’t in the spot to compete that season. on February 25th, 2023, Niederreiter was on the move again when he was traded to the Winnipeg Jets for a second-round pick in the 2024 NHL Entry Draft.

He had a hot start with the Jets when he joined the team, posting 13 points (6G, 7A) in 22 games before playoffs. Niederreiter has been an impact depth addition to the Jets, posting 34 points (18G, 16A) in 77 games in the 2023-24 season. On December 4th, 2023, Niederreiter signed a three-year contract extension to stay with the Winnipeg Jets.

On the international circuit, Niederreiter has represented Team Switzerland in the U18 and U20 World Junior Championship, the Men’s World Championship, and the Olympic Games. He’s also represented Team Europe at the World Cup of Hockey in 2016 where he won silver with the team. Nieddereiter has won three silver medals for Switzerland at the Men’s World Championship in 2013, 2018, and 2024.