Hockey: Josi and Niederreiter are happy to face CP Bern - rts.ch

Roman Josi (32) and Nino Niederreiter (30) are back home! On the eve of a friendly match against CP Bern in the capital, the Bernese defender and the Grison striker of the Nashville Predators in the NHL gave some time to the media in the den of the Bears.

The NHL, as part of the Global Series, which will also see Timo Meier’s San Jose face the Eisbären Berlin in Germany on Tuesday, has again come to make its “advertisement” in Europe. But you shouldn’t be late on Sunday morning in Bern: after 7 minutes watch in hand, the press conference was already over…

I haven’t played a Swiss club since 2009

Nino Niederreiter

This friendly match, which will be sold out, may however not be played with maximum intensity due to the imminent resumption of the NHL on October 7, precisely between the Preds and the Sharks in Prague. “We would obviously like to win against CP Berntempers Niederreiter, who signed a 2-year contract with Nashville this summer. It will be special for me, especially since I haven’t played a Swiss club since 2009.” (red: the former Carolina player was then playing at HC Davos).

Playing in Bern with my NHL team will never happen to me again

Roman Josi

Same story with Josi, pure product of the SCB, and same shareholder of the club for 2 years. “Coming back to where it all started, on the grounds of my favorite club, as an NHL player, it’s really cool. It means a lot to me, and it will probably never happen again.“, adds the captain of Nashville.

Bern, Michaël Taillard

The heirs of Mark Streit

Top Swiss scorer in NHL history with 196 total successes, Niederreiter knows he owes a lot to Mark Streit, winner of the Stanley Cup in 2017 with Pittsburgh. “I can be proud of myself. But it was Streit who paved the way for all Swiss people in this league. Josi is also doing great things. I’m doing my best to leave my mark too”says the Grison.

Josi, not far behind ‘El Nino’ with his 151 goals, agrees: “Before, the NHL seemed so far away for us. It was hard for a Helvetian to impose himself there. But Streit did it”.

Josi: ‘We don’t have much time for ourselves’

However, can the 2 friends really benefit from this return to the fold? “We arrived on Saturday afternoon, then we went to dinner, before walking around a bit. Training sessions and special events, such as training with Bernese juniors on Sunday afternoon, follow one another, this which means that we don’t have much time for ourselves. I wish we could have stayed longer”admits a Josi who may be a little frustrated with this short stay in his hometown.

Josi: “With my 2 children, my priorities have changed”

Dad since July of a little girl, Ivy Lennyn, sister of Luca James (1 year), doesn’t Josi have too much difficulty reconciling professional life and family life? “My life has changed, my priorities too. Obviously, I travel a lot during the season, which means that I will not see them for 2 weeks, at times. But my family allows me to have a good balance between my private life and my job in the NHL”says the one who was voted best defenseman of NHL in 2020.