The Winnipeg Jets have acquired forward Nino Niederreiter from the Nashville Predators in exchange for a 2024 second-round pick.
As the Jets battle atop the Central Division, they have been in the market for another top-six forward, and they found that in Niederreiter. In his first season with the Predators, Niederreiter has recorded 18 goals and 28 points in 56 games played.
In what has been an uneven season for the Predators, Niederrieter has stood out as a consistent bright spot. Not only was Niederreiter second on the team in goals scored, but he was also been a good play driver on a team that has struggled in that department. Nashville controlled 52.86% of the expected goals with Niederreiter on the ice at five-on-five, per Natural Stat Trick.
Another bonus for Winnipeg is that Niderreiter won’t be a rental. This past offseason, the Predators signed Niederreiter to a two-year contract worth $4 million per season, so the Jets will have him on the roster for the 2023-24 season as well.
The Predators have been falling out of the Western Conference playoff race for a while now, and general manager David Poile has clearly chosen to become a seller ahead of the trade deadline. We’ll see whether Nashville makes any more moves over the next week.
