Swiss hockey fans have been waiting for this news today, now it’s official: Carolina Hurricanes forward Nino Niederreiter will join the Swiss national team at the 2019 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship.

One storm has left Slovakia this week but “El Nino” will come. The 26-year-old power forward is expected to join the Swiss national team in Bratislava on Monday.

Niederreiter was tied in scoring on the Swiss team with fellow Chur native Enzo Corvi with four goals and nine points in Switzerland’s silver-medal run at the 2018 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship.

Niederreiter finished his eighth pro season in North America and was traded from the Minnesota Wild to the Carolina Hurricanes where he improved his numbers. In 82 NHL games this season he had 23 goals and 53 points, his second-best season. He also appeared in 15 playoff games (1 goal, 4 points).

For Niederreiter it will be the sixth IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship participation. He was among the team leaders on both silver medal teams in recent Swiss hockey history in 2013 and 2018.