Penguins A to Z: Injuries wrecked Matt Nieto's season

With the Pittsburgh Penguins’ 2023-24 season coming to an end without any postseason action, TribLive will offer Penguins A to Z, a player-by-player look at all 52 individuals signed to an NHL contract — including those whose deals do not begin until next season — with the organization, from fourth-line center Noel Acciari to reserve winger Radim Zohorna.

This series is scheduled to be published every weekday leading into the second day of the NHL Draft on June 29.

(Note: All contract information courtesy of Cap Friendly.)

Matt Nieto

Position: Left winger

Shoots: Left

Age: 31

Height: 5-foot-11

Weight: 187 pounds

2023-24 NHL statistics: 22 games, four points (one goal, three assists), 11:36 of average ice time per game

Contract: In the first year of a two-year contract with a salary cap hit of $900,000. Pending unrestricted free agent in 2025.

Acquired: Unrestricted free agent signing, July 1, 2023

This season: Matt Nieto experienced something new when he opened the 2023-24 campaign.

He was playing for a team that wasn’t either the San Jose Sharks or the Colorado Avalanche.

In 10 years as an NHLer, he had experienced two different stints with the Sharks and Avalanche before opting to head east and join the Penguins.

The reasoning from the Penguins’ perspective was sound. They wanted to retool their bottom-six forwards and Nieto’s speed, tenacity and adequate puck skills made him a strong fit for their fourth line. Coming off a 12-goal season in 2022-23, he was more than capable of providing adequate secondary scoring for a team that was desperate for offense from the lower depths of the roster.

But injuries largely denied Nieto any chance of fulfilling those hopes in 2023-24.

From the opening of training camp, Penguins coaches pinned Nieto on the left wing of the fourth line with Noel Acciari at center and Jeff Carter on the right wing. That trio remained intact going into the opening of the regular season and was largely unimpressive during a limited run.

Per Natural Stat Trick, Nieto-Acciari-Carter was in the red in terms of puck possession during five-on-five sequences as it was on the ice for 94 shots attempts and 123 shot attempts against.

In terms of special teams, Nieto did establish a prominent role on the penalty kill as he led the team’s forwards in short-handed ice time per contest at 2:26.

Offensively, Nieto’s contributions were few and far between. His lone goal came during a 10-2 road win against the Sharks on Nov. 4.

Pittsburgh goal!

Scored by Matt Nieto with 08:07 remaining in the 2nd period.

Assisted by Noel Acciari and Vinnie Hinostroza.

San Jose: 1
Pittsburgh: 7#PITvsSJS #SJSharks #LetsGoPens pic.twitter.com/9JlfCJuVO8

— NHL Goals (@nhl_goal_bot) November 5, 2023

Perhaps his most notable play with the Penguins came in his final game of the season. During a 4-2 road win against the Tampa Bay Lightning on Nov. 30, Nieto set up Carter for a game-winning goal on a slick give-and-go sequence.

Pittsburgh goal!

Scored by Jeff Carter with 17:11 remaining in the 3rd period.

Assisted by Matt Nieto and Marcus Pettersson.

Tampa Bay: 2
Pittsburgh: 3#PITvsTBL #GoBolts #LetsGoPens pic.twitter.com/wEx0hH0gcV

— NHL Goals (@nhl_goal_bot) December 1, 2023

Two nights later, Nieto was scratched due to an undisclosed injury and the precise nature of his ailment wasn’t revealed until the team announced Jan. 4 that he underwent laparoscopic surgery for a right knee injury. Initially, a time frame of six to eight weeks was provided.

After a few sporadic appearances on the ice before practice in February, Nieto was restricted to rehabilitating his ailment off the ice and few answers were provided to his status as his convalescence last well beyond the parameters of the announced time frame.

Following the conclusion of the season, Penguins president of hockey operations Kyle Dubas revealed Nieto suffered a different injury while rehabilitating but did not offer specifics.

By mid-May, the team announced Nieto underwent reconstructive MCL surgery for his left knee on May 2. Another time frame for recovery of six to seven months was provided.

The future: If Nieto’s recovery goes well and lasts only six months — and given how things went catawampus off his first surgery, there’s plenty of reason to be skeptical over that notion — he would be able to rejoin the team by early November.

Regardless of how well he bounces back from this setback, none of this is ideal. Significant surgeries to each knee for a player in his 30s who relies on aggressive skating to be a bottom-six forechecking defensive forward is a tough predicament. Without the benefit of being a full participant in training camp, it will be challenging for Nieto to get into game shape a month into the season (at least).

Add in the probability that the Penguins will be turning to some more youthful options to fill out their bottom-six forwards such as Sam Poulin or Vasily Ponomarev and Nieto is going to be facing quite a battle to reclaim a spot in the lineup.

Whatever designs the Penguins had for Nieto, injuries wrecked his first season with the team and will linger into his second.

Follow the Penguins all season long.