Josi, Niederreiter of Predators visit hospital as part of Bern trip

BERN, Switzerland -- Jan Heuerding lay in his hospital bed after having his tonsils removed, his window overlooking the Alps in the distance, when two men wearing medical masks entered his room Tuesday.

The 14-year-old knew exactly who they were.
They were Roman Josi and Nino Niederreiter, the Nashville Predators' Swiss stars, who had played SC Bern in an exhibition at PostFinance Arena the night before as part of the 2022 NHL Global Series Challenge.
Josi and Niederreiter said hello, joked around, signed autographs and gave Heuerding scarves representing the Predators and SC Bern. When they leaned down at his bedside to take a photo, he beamed.
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"Very special," Heuerding said.
His mother, Stephanie, laughed.
"A lot of joy," she said.
When the Predators were planning this trip to Josi's hometown of Bern, Switzerland, they asked the defenseman if he wanted to do something in the community. It was his idea to hold a youth clinic after practice at PostFinance Arena on Sunday and to visit Lindenhofspital on Tuesday.
Josi was born June 1, 1990, at Lindenhofspital, according to his father, Peter, and grew up less than three kilometers from PostFinance Arena, where he learned to skate on the outdoor rink next door and rose all the way to play for SC Bern in Switzerland's top professional league.

After receiving so much during his homecoming -- two bottles of wine from a former president of Switzerland, cheers and chants from the fans, attention from the media -- Josi wanted to return the favor.
"I think for me and Nino, just being back here, obviously with everything going on, the game and everything, it was important for us to give back a little bit too and hopefully put some smiles on some kids," Josi said.
Josi and Niederreiter found time between a Predators workout at the arena and the team flight to Prague, where the Predators will open the regular season against the San Jose Sharks on Friday and Saturday as part of the 2022 NHL Global Series (2 p.m. ET; NHLN, NBCSCA, BSSO).
First they visited a room full of kids, including patients and the children of hospital workers, with Predators and SC Bern giveaways. Then they put on masks and visited individual rooms.
"We saw a lot of kids," Josi said. "I hope they enjoyed it. I think it's something that the Preds … you really learn in Nashville about giving back to the community, and this is where I grew up, so it was important for us to give back and be a part of the community in a short time."
Niederreiter grew up in Chur, a mountain town about 135 miles east of Bern. But he had a special connection too.
"I know how it feels to be in the hospital," Neiderreiter said.

Niederreiter said he was hit by a car when he was 8 and spent a lot of time in the hospital. He had four surgeries on one ear, in which he has only 20 percent of normal hearing, and he remembers how he felt when a clown would bring balloons to cheer him up.
"You've got to give back," Niederreiter said. "There are so many kids in the hospital who probably wish they could have been a part of this [event]. But they're in a different situation, and we're fortunate to be in the place we are in, so I always enjoy going to the hospitals and giving back that way."
The forward also had an impromptu visit with youth hockey players at the arena before the hospital visit. The cheers echoed in the hallway.
"They're great hockey players, but even better, they're great persons, just great guys, down to earth, really humble," said former NHL defenseman Mark Streit, who grew up in Bern. "For us, it's like Christmas.
"When you have an opportunity to see those guys that close, I mean, that's what you dream of, and I think that's what we need to do, all people of hockey. Having the NHL touring in Europe, it's important."
This is most important.
Before the game Monday, Josi's brother, Yannick, was asked what made him most proud.
Roman won the National League championship with SC Bern, played in the Stanley Cup Final with Nashville and won the Norris Trophy voted as the best defenseman in the NHL. He has more assists (402) and points (542) in the NHL than any player born in Switzerland.

But none of that was it.
"Most proud?" Yannick said. "That he's still the same guy he was when he was young. What he's achieved in sports, it's unbelievable, but that he's still this nice guy, that's the most.
"He's so easygoing, still the same. When I talk to people that know him around Bern, everybody's saying to me, like, 'Oh, your brother is still so nice, talks to everyone here.' That makes me proud."