Detroit Red Wings

Red Wings Prospect Niederbach Demoted From SHL

Published

1 year ago

November 25, 2022

Bob Duff

For the second time in a week, a Detroit Red Wings draft pick has been demoted from the Swedish Hockey League.

Rogle is sending forward Theodor Niederbach down to MoDo of Hockey Allsvenskan, thre second division of Swedish hockey. Last week, Frolunda dropped center Liam Dower Nilsson down to Vasteras of Hockey Allsvenskan.

Both demotions are for the remainder of the 2022-23 hockey season.

Från Näske, Bjästa.
Vår nummer 3⃣2⃣.
Theodor Niederbach!#modose pic.twitter.com/mO8xn5uUXf

— MoDo Hockey (@MoDo_Hockey) November 24, 2022

Of the two moves, certainly Niederbach dropping down a division is the much more alarming development. The 20-year-old center/right-winger spent the entire 2021-22 season in the SHL with Frolunda, prooducing 9-7-16 numbers through 51 games while skating mostly in a bottom-six forward role.

Selected 51st overall by the Red Wings in the 2020 NHL entry draft, Niederbach made a move to Rogle in the summer. He was feeling that there would be a better chance for him to be skating in a role of more prominence with the club.

“I feel like one more year in Sweden fits well,” Niederbach, 20, explained at the time. “Rogle feels like the right place to help me take the next step.”

That isn’t how things would be turning out for him however. Through 17 games with Rogle, Niederbach’s stat line read one goal, zero assists.

Dropping down to the second tier of Swedish hockey certainly doesn’t bode well for Niederbach’s hopes of making the move to North American pro hockey for the 2023-24 season.

Dower Nilsson Also Struggling

Niederbach’s departure was definitely playing a role in the creation of an opprtunity for Dower Nilsson to be making the move full-time from the junior ranks to the SHL with Frolunda. The 19-year-old center was the 151st overall selection of the Red Wings in the 2021 NHL entry draft.

Like Niederbach, Dower Nilsson was struggling to gain a foothold in Sweden’s top league. Accounting for a goal and three assists in 19 games, his average ice time per game was barely over seven minutes.

He’s picked up one assist in three games with Vasteras.