Popular Hurricanes forward Nino Niederreiter signs two-year contract with Predators

Nino Niederreiter has found a new team to play for — the Nashville Predators.

The former Carolina Hurricanes winger became an unrestricted free agent on July 13, but remained unsigned until Thursday. The Predators announced he had agreed to a two-year contract, paying $4 million per season.

The Canes had said they hoped to re-sign Niederreiter after a season in which Carolina set franchise records for wins and points and reached the Stanley Cup playoffs for a fourth straight season. But Carolina traded for forward Max Pacioretty and defenseman Brent Burns as center Vincent Trocheck and now Niederreiter left in free agency.

Niederreiter, 29, had 24 goals and 10 assists (34 points) in 75 games for the Canes this past season. He joined center Jordan Staal and winger Jesper Fast in forming the team’s most consistent line, capable of checking the other team’s best forwards while also producing points.

Niederreiter said after the season, after the Canes had been eliminated in the second round of the playoffs, that he hoped to be able to remain and make another run at a Stanley Cup.

“Obviously I’d like to stay here,” he said in his exit interview with the media. “I enjoy the group. I love living down here. The fans are great. “

Niederreiter was in the final season of a five-year contract first signed with the Wild that paid him $5.25 million a season. Testing the free-agent market at a time when the NHL salary cap had remained relatively flat, he was unable to find a suitable long-term deal before taking the Predators’ two-year offer.

“I think every single player would like to sign longer (term) than shorter,” he said in his exit interview. “It’s a security thing.”

Niederreiter, a former first-round draft pick of the New York Islanders, played for the Islanders and Minnesota Wild before his trade to Carolina in January 2019 — a one-for-one deal that had center Victor Rask go to the Wild.

In 234 games for the Canes, the Swiss-born forward had 69 goals and 68 assists. He finished with 20 goals in the condensed 2021 season, then 24 in 2021-22.

“My best seasons are yet to come,” Niederreiter said in his exit interview.