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Minnesota Wild: Nino Niederreiter a disappointment this year

By Toby Helgeson

ST. PAUL, MN - OCTOBER 25: Nino Niederreiter #22 of the Minnesota Wild and Anze Kopitar #11 of the Los Angeles Kings battle during a game between the Minnesota Wild and Los Angeles Kings at Xcel Energy Center on October 25, 2018 in St. Paul, Minnesota. The Wild defeated the Kings 4-1.(Photo by Bruce Kluckhohn/NHLI via Getty Images)
ST. PAUL, MN - OCTOBER 25: Nino Niederreiter #22 of the Minnesota Wild and Anze Kopitar #11 of the Los Angeles Kings battle during a game between the Minnesota Wild and Los Angeles Kings at Xcel Energy Center on October 25, 2018 in St. Paul, Minnesota. The Wild defeated the Kings 4-1.(Photo by Bruce Kluckhohn/NHLI via Getty Images) /
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Minnesota Wild forward, Nino Niederreiter has vastly under-performed to start the 2018-2019 season. With only five assists and zero goals in the first twelve games, Niederreiter has been a big disappointment for the Minnesota Wild early on.

The former first round (fifth overall) draft pick from the 2010 NHL Entry Draft signed a five-year deal with the Minnesota Wild worth just over $26 million in 2017.

Nino Niederreiter was averaging over 20 goals per year before last year, but still managed to put 18 pucks in the back of the net even after only skating in 63 games for the Minnesota Wild during the 2017-2018 season.

Could we soon see Niederreiter on the trade block?

His value is very low right now, but with the money he is making, it’s tough to keep him around with this kind of production. He has to become the player that the Minnesota Wild need him to be.

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It’s fair to say that he is an option to trade; he still has value to add to a team. He still has a positive effect on the Minnesota Wild’s Shot Attempt differential when he’s on the ice, possessing a Corsi For of 50.76% this year.

That is the best amongst those in the team that have 10 or more games.

The Minnesota Wild have begun to turn in it around after a shaky start to the season.

The team has now won five in a row, and we’re seeing scoring come from a variety of different players which is promising, but nothing out of a player that was once so consistent in the past.

Well, that was until he grabbed a pair of assists against the Edmonton Oilers and had a decent showing in the loss versus Vancouver.

Maybe this is the start of his season, at least from a mental standpoint. Those two helpers could be just what he needed to get the fire burning once more.

Maybe a trip down to Iowa would benefit Nino Niederreiter?

Giving Niederreiter some time to find himself, as well as his touch again, while letting a younger player prove himself, could light a fire under Nino, helping him find his game once again.

Next. Granlund has been sneaky good of late. dark

No matter what the team does with Nino Niederreiter, he has got to start producing like we know he can. Otherwise, he may find that his time in the NHL could be cut short, not something anyone likes to see happen to a former first round draft pick.

Statistics courtesy of Dobber Sports.

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