North American Skater
NINO
NIEDERREITER
POSITION: RW
SHOOTS: Left
HEIGHT: 6' 2"
Weight: 216
Born: 09/08/1992
Mid Term Rank: 14
Nationality: Swiss
Club: Portland
League: WHL
On his style of play: I think I try to make something special on the ice, like probably a good move, nice goal or just something special I try every time.

On patterning his game: I want to be like Vincent Lecavalier and Ilya Kovalchuk. Ilya Kovalchuk, he's amazing. But I prefer to be like Vincent.

On his one handed shootout goal at the Top Prospects Skills competition: I guess (I learned it) from Kovalev, he makes like a one handed stick move (at the All-Star Game in Montreal) and I tried it in practice yesterday, first time, and then I got it like pretty high, too, and like (in the competition), I just saw I just throw the glove and make the shot and it's going in, so I'm pretty happy about that. I don't think so that I would do it in a game. But yeah, maybe now probably I will do it once more.

On becoming a hockey player in Switzerland: I think I was like four and a half or five, like my best friend, he told me let's go to watch a hockey game and then I went to my hometown club and then we watched the game and the next day I went the first time on the ice. Now it's my passion. It's pretty nice.

On his minor hockey: I think it's a good thing to grow up in Switzerland, like it's not that popular like here in Canada or America, but I think it's for little kids who just have fun to play hockey, it's pretty good in Switzerland.

On competing for his country at the World Juniors:
Yeah, like it was pretty scary when some players got injured, and then we thought it's going to be bad. But I think we tried the best to do something special, and we beat Russia there. It was pretty amazing.

On tough times in his career: Of course, like when I left home, it was pretty hard to say bye to my family, actually. I think it was pretty hard, but I know it, like I come over for my passion and I want to play over here in the NHL one day. So that's made me stronger mentally.

On his personality off the ice: I think I'm more a bit a funny guy in the dressing room. Not like a guy who tells story or just who likes sometimes funny things.

On his thoughts on the Draft: It's going to be it would be nice if I get drafted there in L.A. but it's still a long, hard way to play in the NHL, so I don't really think about the draft right now.