BERN, Switzerland – Nino Niederreiter I didn’t choose the Nashville Predators because they were planning a trip to Switzerland. The forward looked for where he would fit best and found him in Nashville when he agreed to a two-year, $8 million deal on July 21.

But the four days the Predators have just spent in Niederreiter’s home country have become an incredible bonus, from the presentations ahead of Monday’s pre-season game against CP Bern to a special moment with his family after the meeting, through the interactions with locals youth and new players.

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All of this has helped him ally with the Predators, who will play their first two games of the regular season against the San Jose Sharks at the O2 Arena in Prague on Friday and Saturday (2 p.m. ET; NHLN, BSSO, NBCSCA). Global Series 2022.

“It was really the icing on the cake to be able to play here,” said Niederreiter.

Niederreiter grew up in Chur, Switzerland, a city surrounded by mountains in the east of the country. He played in the lower leagues in Bern and scored a few times Roman Josi, a native of Bern, who is now Captain of the Predators. But he had never played to a full house in the PostFinance Arena.

The 17,031 followers treated Niederreiter like one of their own. After all, the 30-year-old veteran has scored more NHL goals (181) than any other Swiss-born player. When he was introduced to the crowd before the game, the fans treated him to the same fate as their own players and Josi.

“Nino! started the house announcer.

“Downrider! shouted supporters.

Several of Niederreiter’s family and friends were in the stands, including his father Rene, who suffered a stroke in January, his grandmothers Anna and Maria, who had never personally seen play at a professional level, and one of his teachers at the time he was given allowed to leave school early to go to his hockey practice.

“He’s one of the main reasons why I’m here,” said Niederreiter.

Parents and grandmothers waited outside the dressing room after the Predators’ 4-3 win at the 2022 Global Series Challenge. Niederreiter came out of the ice and hugged her. Even if you don’t speak their language, you could hear and feel the pride and joy in their voice.

“They enjoyed every minute,” said Niederreiter. It was an amazing feeling, an event I dreamed about. It’s really great that they had the opportunity to see me play. And for me it was something very special. »

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The next morning, the Predators practiced at the PostFinance Arena before flying to Prague. A couple of young players were there and a coach asked Niederreiter if he could visit them. He of course agreed, then took pictures and answered questions.

“I know how significant it was because I know what it would have meant to me at that age,” Niederreiter said. It was special for me to see the wonder in her eyes, to see the smile. »

Later, as the rest of the team prepared to leave for the airport, Niederreiter accompanied Josi to a local hospital to visit other children. He also knew what such a visit would have meant for him as he spent a lot of time in the hospital after being hit by a car at the age of 8. He had to undergo four surgeries.

Niederreiter and Josi took photos, gave autographs and distributed Predators and CP Bern clothing.

“We’re fortunate to be able to make a living from what we do, so I always like to go to hospitals to give back in that way,” Niedereiter said.

Niederreiter is a key addition to the Predators due to its toughness and two-way speed. He has 20 goals five times in his NHL career and has 82 games in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

For the Carolina Hurricanes, he has often played on the side for the past four seasons Jordan Staal to face the best opposing trios. Previously, the Predators used him in a more offensive role with center Ryan Johansen.

When asked what Niederreiter brings, Matt Duchene did not hesitate.

“Goals,” replied the striker. We didn’t have enough players who could score goals last year. A couple of guys gave us a great season but we didn’t find enough goalscorers in the rest of the squad and that hurt us throughout the season. It hurt us a lot in the playoffs too. He suits us perfectly because of the way he plays. »

The trip helped Niederreiter to settle in quickly. He spent a lot of time with his new teammates and they trusted him and learned a lot about him because of his Swiss roots.

“He’s an experienced guy,” said coach John Hynes. He’s new to our team but at the moment guys tend to approach him as he’s from around here. It helps him interact with his teammates. The boys get to know him better. This is one of the advantages of this type of trip. »

From an ice hockey perspective, that is the most important thing, said Niederreiter.

“You get to know me better, what kind of person I am and where I come from, understand how much it means to me to come from Switzerland,” he said. I think that helps a lot. We had several conversations during team dinners about local food.

“So I feel like it clicks really well. I feel comfortable and welcome. For me personally it was a fantastic transition. »