Nino Niederreiter is extremely happy to be with the Winnipeg Jets for the next three years.
Ever since his arrival in Winnipeg in late-February, one of Switzerland's most recognizable hockey players has comfortably made his home in Manitoba.
31-year-old Nino Niederreiter joined the Jets by way of a trade from the Nashville Predators in advance of the 2023 trade deadline. He won over the hearts of local scribes and fans alike in the day following his trade, before finding a permanent place within the team's middle-six forwards.
“The big players getting paid a lot of money, the middle class, I guess, they’ve got to work for it to earn it and I think that’s why free agency is always a dangerous thing to go into,” Niederreiter said when meeting with reporters on Monday. “Very fortunate to be able to be here.”
A hard-working, veteran flank, Niederreiter is now on the fifth team of his career, but appears to have found his perfect fit.
“It’s a hard-working group,” he said. “I feel like they keep each other honest and you’ve got to earn your ice time. the coach is straightforward with the things, the lineup, being on with (Mason Appleton) and (Adam Lowry), I think we’ve got a great role. We know exactly what we’ve got to do and we’re doing a pretty good job with it. We know it’s a long season, a lot of tough games ahead for us, but it’s been fun.”
The Jets announced Niederreiter's three-year extension early this week, fulfilling previous rumours that Niederreiter would not be opposed to sticking around 'Winterpeg' for the foreseeable future.
“I’m very happy to be here for another three years,” he said.
“Anything can happen any given day you never know what's going to happen. But it's definitely a great feeling to know you have a chance to be here for the next three years. Like I said, I feel like we've got a really good chance to be a contending team here. And I think that's where I wanted to be."
Sure, he originally signed his two-year contract with the Predators in sunny Tennessee, but things change real quick in the NHL, as he found out this past winter.
“I don't try to not take anything for granted, and, like I said, I'm happy to be here and it seems like we have a good chance for the next coming years to be an elite team. I'm happy to be a part of it.”
For head coach Rick Bowness, the interest by Niederreiter to remain in Winnipeg helps trump the narrative that the Jets are an undesirable team for pending free agents to sign or re-sign with.
As a matter of fact, with the team's most recent signing, there will be no forwards with unrestricted free agent status following the completion of the 2023-24 season.
He wants to be here, it’s plain and simple,” Bowness said. “He wants to be a Winnipeg Jet.
“Listen, all we heard a couple of years ago is people wanted out. Now, we’re hearing people want in. That’s a great thing.”
And what you see is what you get with Niederreiter.
“You need the character guys that work hard every night,” Bowness said. “Loves the game, loves being at the rink, always being in good cheer, loves being a hockey player, loves everything that comes with it. Again, he wants to be a Jet. You love his versatility, you love his character. You love a lot of things that he brings to the table.”