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Ottawa Senators
DanielNieminen
DAge: 20183 CM90 KGFIN FIN
61PNHLe
Daniel Nieminen
NHLNHL Draft2025, NSH (163rd overall)6th round, 3rd pick
THLTHL Draft2025, OTT (145th overall)5th round, 17th pick

Projected potential

Bio

Smooth skating, two-way defenseman.

PNHLe

Projected potential: 61 · 2nd Line Potential2025-26 · Liiga · Pelicans

What is PNHLe?

PNHLe is an offensive stat that is used to project a player’s point potential at the NHL level and is meant to standardize a variety of leagues so that prospects can be compared from one league with another.

PNHLe attempts to equalize all leagues, age and positions so that the offensive potential of a prospect can easily be compared with others, while also projecting future NHL point potential in the prime years of a player.

The problem with NHLe

The premise of the NHLe stat is certainly a great idea. If a player jumps directly from one league to the NHL there should be some precedent set by historical values that would indicate how many points that player should project to having in a full NHL season. However, it always bothered me that NHLe never took into account that younger players in the same league would always have a massive disadvantage compared to those that have more experience and are physically more mature in the same league. NHLe only looks at the present to predict how many points in one league are equated at the NHL level.

NHL Certainty
4.0
40% odds
Odds of becoming a full-time NHL player (10.0 = 100%). Draft guideline is a starting point and should rise as the prospect proves himself.
Upside
6.0
 
Best-case offensive upside (peak season points potential). Forwards: 8.0 ≈ 80 points. Defense and goalie scales differ.

Scouting Feed

Nieminen signed a three-year entry-level contract with the Nashville Predators in April 2026. His deal carries an average annual value (AAV) of $975K and runs through the 2028-29 season. Nieminen scored five goals and recorded 17 points in 47 games with the Pelicans (Liiga). The 20-year-old defender skated in seven games with Team Finland at the 2026 World Juniors, but did not record a point. Nieminen is likely bound for the Milwaukee Admirals (AHL) this fall unless he wows Predators staff during training camp.

A mobile, two-way defender, Nieminen registered 11 points in 39 games for the Pelicans during his first Liiga season after quickly rising through the Pelicans U18 and U20 divisions as a teenager. The 6-foot blueliner is expected to return to Finland for the 2025-26 season.

Selected in the sixth round at 163rd overall, Nieminen is now a member of the Nashville Predators.



Career Stats
SeasonTypeLeagueTeamGPGAP+/-PIMPPGSHGSOG
2021-22RegularU16 SM-sarjaPelicans U16365152049
2021-22RegularU18 SM-sarjaPelicans U1810110
2021-22PlayoffsU16 SM-sarjaPelicans U1621012
2022-23RegularU18 SM-sarjaPelicans U18434162022
2022-23RegularU20 SM-sarjaPelicans U203000027
2023-24RegularHlinka Gretzky CupFinland U1851010
2023-24RegularU20 SM-sarjaPelicans U2037821291851
2023-24RegularU18 SM-sarjaPelicans U1810110
2023-24RegularWJC-18Finland U18501116
2023-24PlayoffsU20 SM-sarjaPelicans U20310102
2024-25RegularLiigaPelicans394711-110
2024-25RegularU20 SM-sarjaPelicans U20101102
2024-25RegularChampions HLPelicans400010
2024-25RegularWJC-20Finland U20702246
2024-25PlayoffsLiigaPelicans1031430
2025-26RegularLiigaPelicans4751217322