Saturday, August 1, 2009

Winterhawks sign two

Press Release

The Portland Winterhawks have announced the signings of Taylor Leier and Nino Niederreiter.

Leier (pronounced “Leer”) is a 5’10”, 155-pound right winger the Winterhawks selected in the second round, 24th overall, in this year’s WHL Bantam Draft. The Saskatoon, Saskatchewan native registered 69 goals and 68 assists for 137 points in 62 games with the Saskatchewan Minor Hockey Association’s Saskatoon Outlaws last season. Leier, 15 (1994 birth year), is eligible to join the Winterhawks at the conclusion of his midget season.

Niederreiter (pronounced “Nee-no Nee-der-rye-ter”) is a 6’1”, 203-pound left winger the Winterhawks selected with the second overall pick in the 2009 Import Draft. A native of Switzerland, Niederreiter amassed 12 points in six games with the Davos U18 team in the Swiss Elite Novizen league last season, before moving up to the Davos U20 team in the Elite Jr. A league, where he totaled 20 goals and 14 assists for 34 points in 30 games. In 2007-08, he had six points in five games for the U20 squad after registering 39 goals and 26 assists for 65 points in 32 games with the U18 team.

Niederreiter played for the Swiss team at this year’s Under-18 World Championship, where he amassed three goals and three assists for six points in six games.

The Winterhawks will open training camp Saturday, August 22, and host their preseason opener Saturday, August 29 against the Seattle Thunderbirds.

(Nathan also is a writer for Maineiacs Post to Post and the Maine Hockey Journal. He can be reached at fourniern@students.nescom.edu)

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