There are some candidates like Markus Eisenschmid, Parker Tuomie, Maximilian Kammerer or Janik Möser.
Though Kammerer may wait another year, if he decides to go to North America at all.
There could be others but these are the ones I like best.
Is Mathias Niederberger eligible for the upcoming 2013 NHL draft again? Any chance that he'll get picked? I mean his performances in this years playoffs are just outstanding.
Is Mathias Niederberger eligible for the upcoming 2013 NHL draft again? Any chance that he'll get picked? I mean his performances in this years playoffs are just outstanding.
I am not completely sure, but I think he is not eligible because he turns 21 before the end of the year. I believe that restriction does not apply to non-North American players, or at least it didn't used to do. But since Niederberger is playing in North America it should apply to him.
One way or the other, it is safe to assume that he will be sought after to a UFA contract by some team.
An AHL option is a pretty sure thing at this point, but the question is if an NHL team would be willing to give him an ELC.
Of course, there are a couple of DEL teams looking to garner his services at the moment.
Could see Tampa signing him (and really hope it), they have an open #5 spot for next year and pretty much everyone is better than Nagle in the ECHL. Can't see what he should have to prove more to get a chance than his current play. Even if NHL teams don't see NHL potential in him, he still should be worth a flyer for the AHL/ECHL.
I watched the last two Colts games (#5 & #6) and I can say that Niederberger wasn't as sharp as he was before in the play-offs, but the overall team effort (especially in the will to defend the d-zone) was quite bad in the Barries last games. I hope they can win game 7, Niederberger has earned this trophy.
I don't understand that move either. He was pretty much on one level with every other highly rated goalie prospect in the OHL and then decides to move back to Germany to be a backup?
The least he could have done is to try it in North America for one or two years. There surely must have been a team that would have offered him a contract. He certainly would have played a bigger role than he will in the DEL.
I don't understand that move either. He was pretty much on one level with every other highly rated goalie prospect in the OHL and then decides to move back to Germany to be a backup?
The least he could have done is to try it in North America for one or two years. There surely must have been a team that would have offered him a contract. He certainly would have played a bigger role than he will in the DEL.
It is just a 1-year-deal, and I am not totally sure if that is a good or a bad thing.
What I really don't get is, that it's Munich. I am going to assume that Steinhauer is on his way out of there, otherwise he might not even be the backup.
Also Reimer appeared in 49 out of 52 games for Munich last season leaving a grand total of 235:00 minutes of playing time for Steinhauer. Unless Niederberger gets significantly more chances he is looking at a lost year.
Also Sebastian Uvira and Philip Lehr will be returning to Germany as well. Uvira signed with Augsburg, and Lehr returns to Mannheim.
I don't think the contract length matters much at all, NHL teams could sign him whether he is signed or not. The whole move doesn't really help him. I can't think of a single German player who came out of juniors, went back to Germany and then made the jump back to North America one year later. Once you make that move back you have to perform exceptionally well to gain back the attention, and that isn't going to happen when someone plays backup in the DEL.
I don't think the contract length matters much at all, NHL teams could sign him whether he is signed or not. The whole move doesn't really help him. I can't think of a single German player who came out of juniors, went back to Germany and then made the jump back to North America one year later. Once you make that move back you have to perform exceptionally well to gain back the attention, and that isn't going to happen when someone plays backup in the DEL.
I also can't understand this decision as it will be probably the end of his NHL chance, although he played much better than lots of drafted goalies in the OHL.
I don't understand, why so many German players do not try to stay in the US, when i think about F.Schütz, Gogulla...
I also can't understand this decision as it will be probably the end of his NHL chance, although he played much better than lots of drafted goalies in the OHL.
I don't understand, why so many German players do not try to stay in the US, when i think about F.Schütz, Gogulla...
True.
I mean there a many players who returned who just wouldn't make it over there, but did more or less well after their return. Guys like Reul, Bittner, Höfflin, Krämmer, Keil and to a lesser degree Ritter come to mind. Among those only Höfflin might have had a chance, but I get why they returned and it worked for them.
It also kind of worked for Gogulla and Schütz who have become stars, sort of, in the DEL which means they get more money and attention than they would have in North America, at least for a while.
On the other hand staying in North America can work, like it did for Sulzer (hopefully his injury doesn't cost him his spot on an NHL team), but there is no guarantee. Justin Krueger stuck with it, but it doesn't seem to work for him. But if he returns to Europe, he can say he went all in. Hopefully he will have a decent career regardless of where he goes.
this may not be the right board but I have a comment and question. Where were some DEL players during the World Championship? Where was Flaake and how good is he? Where was Schubert? Why was Rieder not invited? Is Kuhnhackl healing? What's his future? I think I'm missing a few names. I was a little disappointed at some of the players who were missing
this may not be the right board but I have a comment and question. Where were some DEL players during the World Championship? Where was Flaake and how good is he? Where was Schubert? Why was Rieder not invited? Is Kuhnhackl healing? What's his future? I think I'm missing a few names. I was a little disappointed at some of the players who were missing
Flaake was injured (broken fibula) and so was Schubert (I don't know exactly what he had). Rieder is also injured (broken hand). I have no information about Kühnhakl's healing process, and I am quite curious about that myself.
Flaake has not established himself as a dominant player on the national team, but I am very high on him. I loved his development the last couple of years and I think he could become the best German player outside of North America, and maybe the best player in the DEL, period. I just love his game, this mix of physical play, skill and goal scoring ability. Hopefully he makes a full recovery and manages to pick up where he left off.
Besides Constantin Braun Flaake was, to me, the biggest missing piece on this World Championship roster. There were some other really good players missing, but personally I missed Flaake and Braun the most.
Thanks for the quick response. Ya, Braun was another I was thinking of. What about Marcel Mueller?
Mueller was cut from the team. I am still angry about that. I get that Cortina wanted more grinders to improve the defensive play of the team, but he could have left somebody else at home. The same goes for David Wolf, who probably would have made the team if Flaake and Festerling had been available.
I also forgot about Sulzer who would have been a great help but was also injured (torn ACL, I think).
All in all this team was missing some pretty good players, that would normally be available at World Championship. But we had Ehrhoff which made up for a lot.
Mueller was cut from the team. I am still angry about that. I get that Cortina wanted more grinders to improve the defensive play of the team, but he could have left somebody else at home.
Cortina said that Müller had motivational issues. What's the point of bringing in a player who doesn't work as hard as other players? On paper, Müller is on another level than most players of this team, but if he doesn't work hard, he just didn't deserve to get nominated.
Cortina said that Müller had motivational issues. What's the point of bringing in a player who doesn't work as hard as other players? On paper, Müller is on another level than most players of this team, but if he doesn't work hard, he just didn't deserve to get nominated.
If that's the reason, fine, but based on the play in some of the exhibition games before the tournaments I could not see any motivational issues with Mueller. But Cortina would surely know better, working with the players the whole time.
Please keep up the good work. 
