It’s Official: Red Wings Prospect Niederbach Moving To Rogle

The expected move of Detroit Red Wings prospect Theodor Niederbach is now official. Niederbach, who skated this season with Frolunda HC of the Swedish Hockey League, will be joining their SHL rivals Rogle BK for the 2022-23 campaign.

Niederbach’s impending move to Rogle has been working its way through the rumor mill since early in 2022.

“I feel like one more year in Sweden fits well,” Niederbach, 20, explained in the announcement of the move on Rogle’s official website. “Rögle feels like the right place to help me take the next step.”

"-I feel like one more year in Sweden fits well. Rögle feels like the right place to help me take the next step.
I've played a lot of center, but last season I played on the wing so I can play both positions."

Niederbach on the move to Rögle #LGRW https://t.co/5wkKATd94r

— IcehockeyGifs (@IcehockeyG) May 3, 2022

During the 2021-22 season, Niederbach collected nine goals and seven assists in 51 regular-season games for Frolunda. He added 1-2-3 totals in 12 playoff games. However, Niederbach was playing in Frolunda’s bottom-six forwards and was seldom skating more than 10-13 minutes of ice time per night.

“I have developed my smartness on the ice and (am) not playing as much as a junior,” Niederbach said. “I feel that I have become more mature in the game. That’s the biggest part I’ve developed.

“Then I feel that I have become much more stable in the game in my own zone.”

Rogle Offering Opportunity

Theodor Niederbach figures to be given much more opportunity with Rogle. The club has gained a reputation in the SHL for offering young players a chance to shine.

There are reasons why I come here,” Niederbach told SportExpressen. “It is a club that has been good in recent years and I know that it is a club that wants to win Swedish Championship gold, just like me.”

Red Wings fans don’t need to be reminded that Rogle was where defenseman Moritz Seider was a shining star during the 2020-21 season. This season’s Calder Trophy favorite as the NHL’s top rookie ended up earning SHL defenseman of the year while with Rogle last season.

Fellow Red Wings draftee William Wallinder was skating on the Rogle defense in 2021-22.

“We try to make sure that they have the opportunity,” Rogle sports director Chris Abbott said. “Then it’s up to them what they do with it, but we really like to have a group and players who are moving forward in their careers.

“We believe we can create success that way. Theodor has every chance of becoming a player who can make a difference in the SHL before he tries to break into the NHL.”

Niederbach A Versatile Forward

Niederbach was skating mostly on the wing for Frolunda, even though the thinking in Swedish hockey circles is that he’s more natural at center.

“I’ve played a lot of center, but last season I played on the wing so I can play both positions,” Niederbach said.

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Selected 51st overall by the Red Wings in the 2020 NHL entry draft, Niederbach has suited up for Sweden in the past two World Junior Championship tournaments. He was sitting with two goals in two games at the postponement of this year’s tournament until Augst because of a COVID-19 outbreak.