	products recent interviews FastScripts archive about ASAP Sports

Our Clients:

Browse by Sport

Find us on

Subscribe to RSS

Click to go to
Asaptext.com

View our
e-Brochure

NHL DRAFT

June 25, 2010

Nino Niederreiter

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA

Q. Nino, how do you feel about becoming an Islander?
NINO NIEDERREITER: It's just a great feeling. I couldn't be happier to be part of the Islanders. And Mark is going to be great. He's a fantastic guy. Got a chance to look at the beach, and it was just great.

Q. I understand you and Johansen are friends on and off the ice. Did you have any friendly bets about who was going to get picked first?
NINO NIEDERREITER: Not really. He pushed me and I pushed him at the end. It was just great. And he's fourth, and I'm fifth, so it's fantastic for the company.

Q. What did you say after you got picked?
NINO NIEDERREITER: Just give a hug, and didn't know what to say. It was just fantastic to see him.

Q. Did you help each other a lot this year?
NINO NIEDERREITER: I think so. I wouldn't be here if I didn't get a chance to play with Johansen and Brad Ross.

Q. (No microphone).
NINO NIEDERREITER: Actually, I'm thinking he's going to be an Islander, but now I'm an Islander, and I'm so happy about that.

Q. Were you surprised that your friend Ryan went as high as he did? Because he was ranked quite a bit further down?
NINO NIEDERREITER: No, no, he's a fantastic centerman with great ability. He's a play maker. I think you don't have a lot of great centermens, and I'm really happy for him to go forward.

Q. Can you describe the friendship you had with Ryan, how it started, how it grew and flourished in your years and time together in Portland?
NINO NIEDERREITER: He helped me a lot with the English. It was kind of funny first time I saw him. I asked him for a scissor or sock tape.
So he kind of got to be a friend. And Antti helped me a lot. We were line mates and really good friends off the ice, too.

Q. Did he teach you bad English words?
NINO NIEDERREITER: Maybe a little bit, but more the good words.

Q. Was it a coming out party in the World Juniors Championships?
NINO NIEDERREITER: Oh, yeah, I think it's helped me a lot. Even the game against Russia was an outstanding game, and helped a lot for Switzerland and the country to make a statement. Yeah, it's just great.

Q. Talk about your choice to play in the Canadian Hockey League and what how it helped you in your development?
NINO NIEDERREITER: I think it helped me a lot. I got a chance to play with Mike Johnson, and Travis Green, and Kyle Gustafson, it's just great to be there. They helped me a lot.

Q. Was that the best decision you've ever made?
NINO NIEDERREITER: I think so, yeah.

Q. What do you feel you can do for this team?
NINO NIEDERREITER: I'm trying to be a scorer one day. At the moment I think I'm a two-way player with some skills and also defensively. At the end I just want to be a goal scorer.

Q. Do you feel you're physically and mentally ready for next season?
NINO NIEDERREITER: I think I will see that at the camp. I would love to play for the Islanders next season, but we'll see what happens.

Q. What kind of impression did you get from them when you visited about where they are in the rebuilding stage and how you fit into that?
NINO NIEDERREITER: I think it was just great. I think the whole company is fantastic. Even the place where they play, and Long Island, I think it's just so great.

Q. How much chirping was there between you and Ryan? He said there was quite a bit leading up to the draft?
NINO NIEDERREITER: Not really. Like we chirped each other sometimes during the season he was going first. In the end, we were both so happy, now he's fourth, I'm fifth, I couldn't be happier.

Q. Will you get to celebrate with him somehow? Will you hope to see him maybe tomorrow?
NINO NIEDERREITER: I just saw him in the hallway, and it was just great to see him.

Q. How are you going to celebrate tonight?
NINO NIEDERREITER: Like always like this, I guess.

End of FastScripts

ASAP Sports, Inc. | T: 1.212 385 0297