Matt Nieto

Matt Nieto

31-Year-Old Left WingLW
Pittsburgh Penguins
IR-LT
Injury Knee
Est. Return 9/16/2024
2023 Fantasy Outlook
For the first time in his career, Nieto will play for a team other than the Avalanche or the Sharks after signing a two-year deal with the Penguins this summer. He produced 24 points in 81 contests a year ago, his best scoring output since 2019-20. He enjoyed a productive role in the Sharks' middle six, but his time in Pittsburgh will likely be similar to what he saw in Colorado. That means limited minutes as a defensive winger in a fourth-line role. Considering he's never had more than 27 points in a season, there's no reason for Nieto to be considered in the vast majority of fantasy formats. Read Past Outlooks
$Signed a two-year, $1.8 million contract with the Penguins in July of 2023.
Ends season on shelf
LWPittsburgh Penguins
Knee
April 18, 2024
Nieto (knee) was unable to get back onto the ice for the Penguins this season, missing 60 games total.
ANALYSIS
Nieto's status was never really updated by the Penguins but it seems almost certain that he suffered a setback at some point considering the team previously said he was out 6-8 weeks at the start of January. Before getting hurt, the 31-year-old California native managed just one goal and three assists in 22 games. Even if Nieto is available for the start of the 2024-25 campaign, he figures to be a long shot for anything more than a bottom-six role.
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NHL Stats
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2023 NHL Game Log
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2023–24 Time On Ice Stats
  • Average Time On Ice:
    11:37
  • Average Power Play TOI:
    0:03
  • Average Short-Handed TOI:
    2:26
 
Ice Time
Power Play
Short-Handed
2021–22
14:24
0:04
1:45
2022–23
10:52
0:02
1:13
2022–23
15:39
0:38
2:13
2023–24
11:37
0:03
2:26
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Penguins Power Play Depth Chart
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Latest Fantasy Rumors
Set to sign with Oilers
LWFree Agent
July 1, 2023
Nieto is set to finalize a two-year deal with the Oilers on Saturday, Darren Dreger of TSN reports.
ANALYSIS
Nieto has split his time between the Sharks and the Avalanche throughout his 10-year NHL career. The 30-year-old winger should be capable of producing in the 20-25 point range for Edmonton despite likely filling a bottom-six role.
See All NHL Rumors
Past Fantasy Outlooks
2020
2019
2018
2015
2014
2011
Nieto returns for a second stint with the Sharks after he exceeded 20 points for the third straight campaign with the Avalanche last year. The 28-year-old Nieto has five 20-point campaigns to his name, but he's never reached 30 before -- while consistent, it's unlikely the California native will produce enough offense to interest most fantasy managers. He's most likely to feature on the Sharks' fourth line, although he does get some time on the penalty kill and could be worth a look in deep formats that count shorthanded points.
A decent north-to-south burner with a scoring touch, Nieto's compiled 60 points (26 goals, 34 assists) over 181 games since the Avalanche managed to pluck him off waivers in January 2017. He's generally hit-or-miss in the attacking zone, but the 26-year-old winger assumes key penalty-killing responsibilities, and barring a rash of injuries, Nieto will be hard-pressed to move into the top six at any point this season. The Avalanche gave up two early-round 2020 draft picks to pull Andre Burakovsky from the Capitals, and he's a prime candidate to push Nieto down to the fourth line.
With the Avalanche sending a more competent squad to the rink on a nightly basis in 2017-18, Nieto predictably posted a much better campaign than his 13-point season split between Colorado and San Jose in 2016-17. All told, he compiled a career-high 15 goals on a 17.9 shooting percentage. A plus-6 rating bodes well, but it will be difficult to repeat that conversion rate of shots into goals, and Nieto has never topped 27 points in a season, making it quite possible that he's nearly reached his cap in yearly points.
Nieto didn't show much growth in his second NHL season despite seeing a modest rise in ice time, as he generally came pretty close to replicating the prior campaign's numbers, but with six more games. A slightly undersized winger who doesn't play a particularly tough game, Nieto profiles best as a third-liner at this point, but his current role remains up in the air -- it could be anywhere from borderline top-six guy to depth forward. It's questionable what Nieto would be able to do even if he did earn top-six minutes, though he won't turn 23 until a month into the season, so he still has room for further development.
Nieto had a solid rookie campaign, delivering 10 goals and 14 assists through 66 games last season. With the team refocusing on the youth on the roster, Nieto will be given a solid shot at an increased role and a top-six position. Nieto's upside isn't as big as Hertl's, but he has proven he has the ability to produce if he finds a consistent home in the team's top six. Watch him in camp and be prepared to scoop him up late.
Nieto is one of the newest prospects for the Sharks, as he was taken with the 47th overall pick in the 2011 NHL Entry Draft. At 5-foot-11, 183 pounds, Nieto is a bit on the smaller side, but his skating proficiency more than makes up for it. Most recently, Nieto played for Boston University, where he tallied 23 points (10 G, 13 A) in 39 games as a freshman in 2010-11.
More Fantasy News
Out 6-to-8 weeks after surgery
LWPittsburgh Penguins
Knee
January 4, 2024
The Penguins announced that Nieto underwent successful laparoscopic surgery Thursday on his right knee and is expected to miss the next 6-to-8 weeks.
ANALYSIS
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Shifts to LTIR
LWPittsburgh Penguins
Lower Body
January 2, 2024
Nieto (lower body) was moved to long-term injured reserve Tuesday, per CapFriendly.
ANALYSIS
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Return not imminent
LWPittsburgh Penguins
Lower Body
January 2, 2024
Nieto (lower body) is still considered out "longer-term" according to coach Mike Sullivan, Penguins play-by-play announcer Josh Getzoff reports Tuesday.
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Skating Friday
LWPittsburgh Penguins
Lower Body
December 22, 2023
Nieto (lower body) skated for the first time since suffering his injury Friday, Matt Vensel of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.
ANALYSIS
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Moves to IR
LWPittsburgh Penguins
Lower Body
December 3, 2023
Nieto (lower body) was placed on injured reserve Sunday, per CapFriendly.
ANALYSIS
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