Winterhawks alumnus Niederreiter becomes first Swiss-born player to reach 1,000 NHL games
Winnipeg, Man. – Former Portland Winterhawks star Nino Niederreiter became the first Swiss-born player to compete in 1,000 NHL games this past Saturday, December 13, when he took the ice for the Winnipeg Jets.
The Jets honoured him prior to the team’s 5-1 victory over the Washington Capitals at Canada Life Centre on Saturday.
“It was amazing, it was something I will never forget,” Niederreiter said, reflecting on the pre-game ceremony celebrating his 1,000th game. “As a little boy, you dream about moments like this and to top it off with a win was amazing.
“(My family) is the reason why I am here… Coming from a hard-working class family, it’s tough to play hockey in Switzerland – it’s an expensive sport. The commitment (my family made), they sacrificed their free time to make sure I could play hockey, so it’s thanks to them.”
The pre-game ceremony was a star-studded event, with congratulatory messages coming in from the likes of tennis great Roger Federer and Olympic gold medallist skier Marco Odermatt, among many others, including family, friends, and teammates.
“I wanted to add myself to the list of people to congratulate you on your 1,000th, game,” Federer said in a tribute to Niederreiter. “Enjoy the moment. I wish you all the very best and I can’t wait to see you in Switzerland for a round of golf.”
The 33-year-old product of Chur, Switzerland, played two seasons with the WHL’s Portland Winterhawks, skating in 120 regular season games and tallying 130 points (77G-53A) from 2009-10 through 2010-11. The 2009-10 campaign saw the 6-foot-2, 218-pound winger compete in the CHL Top Prospects Game and he was eventually voted to the WHL Western Conference Second All-Star Team after registering an impressive 36 goals and 60 points in 65 games.
Niederreiter’s first foray in North America as a member of the Winterhawks launched him to become the fifth overall selection of the New York Islanders in the 2010 NHL Draft. He made his NHL debut with the Isles the following season, appearing in nine contests and collecting two points (1G-1A) before being return to the Winterhawks, where he enjoyed a career season, stacking up 41 goals and 70 points in 55 games.
In June 2013, Niederreiter was traded to the Minnesota Wild, where he became an NHL regular. After emerging with 36 points (14G-22A) in 81 games during the 2013-14 season, he then strung together three consecutive seasons with 20+ goals, cementing his place as a reliable NHL forward. Niederreiter’s best statistical season game in 2016-17 when he logged 57 points (25G-32A) in 82 games with the Wild.
Now 15 seasons into his NHL career, Niederreiter has recorded seven campaigns with 20 or more goals. In 1,000 games spread across the Islanders, Wild, Carolina Hurricanes, Nashville Predators, and Jets, the veteran has tallied 495 points (246G-249A). His 246 career NHL goals make him the highest Swiss-born goal scorer in NHL history, while his 495 points rank third all-time among Swiss born NHL players, trailing Nashville Predators defenceman Roman Josi (192G-544A–736 points) and Los Angeles Kings forward Kevin Fiala (222G-288A–510 points), who both remain active.
Outside his time in the NHL, Neiderreiter has accomplished great success representing Switzerland – on four occasions he has helped his nation earn a silver medal at the IIHF World Championship (2013, 2018, 2024, 2025). In 2014, he represented Switzerland at the Olympic Winter Games in Sochi, Russia, appearing in four games.
Art, but make it 1,000 @NHL games 🏔️ ✈️ pic.twitter.com/5VwcfiWbTh
— Winnipeg Jets (@NHLJets) December 14, 2025
The most popular man in Switzerland hits 1,000 @NHL games 🇨🇭 pic.twitter.com/SjALS3AQEI
— Winnipeg Jets (@NHLJets) December 14, 2025
Nino Niederreiter becomes the first Swiss-born player to earn a silver stick!
Congratulations to the @NHLJets forward on NHL game No. 1,000. pic.twitter.com/SV6eITvL4L
— NHLPA (@NHLPA) December 14, 2025
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