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Junior hockey notebook: Niederreiter makes Islanders roster

Swiss star could be back to Winterhawks

By Paul Danzer, Columbian Soccer, hockey and Community Sports Reporter
Published: October 8, 2010, 12:00am

Nino Niederreiter officially made the opening day roster for the New York Islanders.

That news was not a surprise. Nor does it mean that the Swiss standout, who turned 18 last month, won’t return to the Portland Winterhawks this season.

As a rookie in the National Hockey League, Niederreiter’s contract with the Islanders doesn’t kick in until he plays in 10 games, so New York might keep him around for a while.

“Right now, it’s a one-game thing,” Islanders coach Scott Gordon told NHL.com. “We’ll just approach it one game at a time. I don’t think there’s any rush to make a decision. He’s more than capable of playing … We’ve just got to make sure that it’s the right decision and that he can get the right amount of ice time and the right amount of opportunity to be able to justify our decision to keep him here.”

Niederreiter had 36 goals and 24 assists for 60 points in 65 regular-season games last season as a rookie with the Winterhawks, and added eight goals and eight assists in 13 playoff games before being drafted No. 5 overall by the Islanders.

If he plays in the season opener on Saturday, Niederreiter will be the youngest player to compete in an NHL game since Jordan Staal made his debut with the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2006.

• The Winterhawks’ other top-five draft pick, Ryan Johansen, has a goal and five assists in three games since returning to the Winterhawks from the Columbus Blue Jackets. Johansen has been teamed with Brad Ross and Oliver Gabriel on the top line since returning, though some shuffling continues early in the season.

• Gabriel on Thursday signed with the Blue Jackets after a productive preseason as an undrafted free agent.

• Brad Ross has been on a tear since returning to Portland from the Toronto Maple Leafs. The 18-year-old has six goals and two assists, and a plus-9 rating, in five games with the Winterhawks. He was named the WHL player of the week last week.

• The Winterhawks moved into first place in the U.S. Division with Wednesday’s win at Everett. It was the first loss for the Silvertips. Portland plays at Spokane today and Saturday, then returns home for a Wednesday game against Calgary.

Coach and general manager Mike Johnston called Wednesday’s win at Everett “very important.” He wasn’t happy with the way his team started that game, but had no complaints with the finish.

• Keith Hamilton has played all six games in goal for the Winterhawks (.925 save percentage; 2.63 GAA). Johnston said both 18-year-old Mac Carruth and 20-year-old Ian Curtis could see action this weekend at Spokane. Both have been rehabilitating injuries and are now practicing at full strength.

Homecoming for Cheek

Trevor Cheek of Camas makes his only appearance in Portland this season on Wednesday. A rookie center for the Calgary Hitmen, the 18-year-old has played in three of Calgary’s first four games and recorded one assist.

He missed two practices and one game this week with a jammed knee, but had returned to practice by Thursday.

The defending WHL champion Hitmen, coached by former Winterhawk player and coach Mike Williamson, visit Memorial Coliseum at 7 p.m. on Wednesday.

Jaguars hit road

The River City Jaguars (0-4) shoot for their first NORPAC win of the season when they visit the Puget Sound Tomahawks (0-3) at 7:30 p.m. today at Bremerton Ice Rink and the Seattle Totems (7-0) at 8 p.m. Saturday at Olympic View Ice Arena in Mountlake Terrace.

Jags officials said they were happy that attendance for the home opener last Friday was about 350, followed by about 170 for Saturday’s game.

River City is on the road the next two weekends. The Jags’ next homestand is three games Oct. 22-24.

• Fans can meet the Jaguars players and staff at 7:30 p.m. on Monday at the Hazel Dell Skippers restaurant at 6304 NE Highway 99.

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Columbian Soccer, hockey and Community Sports Reporter