Matt Nieto Bio
Matthew Evan Nieto is an American professional ice hockey left winger who is currently an unrestricted free agent. He most recently played for the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins in the American Hockey League while under contract to the Pittsburgh Penguins of the National Hockey League. Nieto has played two separate stints each for the San Jose Sharks and the Colorado Avalanche during his NHL career. He was drafted by the Sharks in the second round, 47th overall, of the 2011 NHL Entry Draft.
Born in Long Beach, California, Nieto developed into a reliable two-way forward known for his skating and penalty-killing work. Over the course of his career he has transitioned from a promising prospect into a versatile depth contributor who can play up and down a lineup.
Early Life and Background
Matthew Evan Nieto grew up in Long Beach, California, in a neighborhood that his mother has described as dangerous, with drive-by shootings taking place in the area. His mother, Mary, is a Nordstrom makeup artist, and his father, Jesse, works as a longshoreman. Nieto is of Mexican-American descent and has a sister with Down syndrome and autism, while his mother has battled advanced breast cancer.
When he was two years old, Nieto became interested in skating after watching his sister rollerblade inside the family home. His grandfather later bought him a hockey stick, and by the time he was three he was playing roller hockey at the local YMCA. As a youth, Nieto played in the 2004 and 2005 Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournaments with the Los Angeles Hockey Club minor ice hockey team, where his teammates included Emerson Etem and Rocco Grimaldi.
Path to Professional Hockey
Nieto began attending Salisbury School, a preparatory school in Salisbury, Connecticut, at the start of his second year of high school. In one season with the school’s hockey team, he scored eight goals and ten assists in 28 games, drawing the attention of the USA Hockey National Team Development Program. He moved to Ann Arbor, Michigan, to play in the Program and split time between the under-17 and under-18 squads, producing strong offensive numbers across both levels.
After leaving the Program, Nieto turned down an offer from the Tri-City Americans of the Western Hockey League and instead chose the college route. He selected Boston University over Boston College on a full scholarship and spent three seasons with the Terriers. Across 115 games at Boston University, Nieto recorded 44 goals and 102 points, establishing himself as one of the top forwards in Hockey East and a legitimate NHL prospect.
Matt Nieto Career
Early Career (2013–2017)
Nieto signed a three-year, $2.3 million entry-level contract with the San Jose Sharks on April 1, 2013. He split his first professional season between the Sharks and their AHL affiliate, the Worcester Sharks, while also seeing a brief stint with the ECHL’s San Francisco Bulls. He made his NHL debut against the Vancouver Canucks on October 3, 2013, and scored his first NHL goal against Henrik Lundqvist of the New York Rangers on October 8 of that year.
During his first stint with San Jose, Nieto became a fixture in the bottom six and developed a reputation as a reliable penalty killer and forechecker. In the 2016-17 season, however, he struggled to maintain a regular role in the lineup and appeared in just 16 games before being placed on waivers. On January 5, 2017, he was claimed off waivers by the Colorado Avalanche, beginning the first of his two stints in Colorado.
San Jose Sharks Breakthrough (2013–2017)
Nieto opened his NHL career in San Jose and quickly earned a full-time role with the Sharks. He scored his first career Stanley Cup playoff goal on April 22, 2014, an empty-net tally against the Los Angeles Kings. Over the following seasons, he continued to grow into a steady bottom-six presence who could contribute offensively while matching up against top opposition.
Even as his ice time fluctuated, Nieto remained in the Sharks’ plans through his first contract. His combination of speed, defensive responsibility, and penalty-killing acumen made him a valuable piece of San Jose’s forward group before his waiver claim to Colorado in early 2017.
Colorado Avalanche Era (2017–2020)
After joining the Avalanche midseason in 2017, Nieto signed a one-year, $1 million contract to avoid arbitration on July 25, 2017. The 2018 season proved to be his most productive campaign, as he set career highs with 74 games played and 15 goals scored. Following that breakout, the Avalanche signed him to a two-year deal worth $3.95 million in July 2018.
Nieto settled into a depth role in Colorado and contributed on both special-teams units during his first stint with the franchise. He played out the remainder of his contract before reaching unrestricted free agency at the conclusion of the 2019-20 season.
Return to San Jose (2020–2023)
As a free agent, Nieto returned to the San Jose Sharks on a one-year, $700,000 contract on October 13, 2020. In the 2020-21 season, he posted 5 goals and 7 points in 25 games before an injury ended his campaign. On March 19, 2021, he skated in his 500th NHL game against the St. Louis Blues, becoming just the third California native to reach that mark behind Brooks Orpik and Jason Zucker.
Nieto then agreed to a two-year, $1.7 million contract extension on June 21, 2021. He posted 6 goals and 17 points in 70 games during the 2021-22 season, and elevated his production while playing alongside Logan Couture in 2022-23, recording 8 goals and 15 points in 48 games before a midseason trade.
Pittsburgh Penguins Era (2023–Present)
On January 25, 2023, the Sharks traded Nieto and Ryan Merkley to the Avalanche in exchange for Martin Kaut and Jacob MacDonald. He finished the 2022-23 season with 12 goals and 24 points between the two clubs, then went scoreless in seven playoff games as the injury-depleted Avalanche were eliminated in the first round by the Seattle Kraken.
After the season, Nieto signed a two-year, $1.8 million contract with the Pittsburgh Penguins on July 1, 2023. He spent time during his Penguins tenure with their AHL affiliate, the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, before reaching the end of his deal and becoming an unrestricted free agent.
Driving Style and Strengths
Nieto is widely regarded as a fast, two-way winger whose best attributes are his foot speed, work ethic, and defensive reliability. He has built much of his NHL career around a strong penalty kill and the ability to play in all three zones, while also showing enough offensive skill to contribute on a secondary scoring line when given the opportunity.
Notable Events and Milestones
Among the highlights of Nieto’s career are his first NHL goal against Henrik Lundqvist in 2013, his first playoff goal against the Los Angeles Kings in 2014, his 500th NHL appearance in 2021, and his career-high 15-goal season with Colorado in 2017-18. He also represented the United States at the IIHF World U18 Championships in 2009 and 2010, winning gold medals at both tournaments.
Matt Nieto Career Wins
While Nieto’s game is defined more by consistency and defensive responsibility than by high goal totals, he has delivered several notable performances across the NHL and AHL. He set career highs with 15 goals and 74 games during the 2017-18 season with the Colorado Avalanche, and he has posted double-digit goal totals on multiple occasions in his NHL career.
NHL Highlights
Nieto has reached double figures in goals in multiple NHL seasons, including 15 with Colorado in 2017-18, and has provided secondary scoring during his stints with the Sharks and Avalanche. He has also been a regular on the penalty kill, contributing to successful special-teams units in San Jose, Colorado, and Pittsburgh.
Other Wins and Performances
On the international stage, Nieto won back-to-back gold medals with the United States at the IIHF World U18 Championships in 2009 and 2010, posting four goals in seven games during the first tournament. He has also helped contribute to playoff pushes during his time in San Jose and Colorado, including a Stanley Cup playoff appearance with the Avalanche in 2023.
Matt Nieto Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Matthew Evan Nieto was raised in Long Beach, California, by his parents Jesse and Mary. His father works as a longshoreman and his mother has worked as a Nordstrom makeup artist. Nieto is of Mexican-American descent and grew up alongside a sister who has Down syndrome and autism.
Personal Life
Nieto has largely kept his personal life out of the public eye, and limited verified information is available about his relationships or immediate family beyond his parents and sister. He remains closely connected to his family in Southern California, where his interest in skating first began as a young child watching his sister rollerblade.
2025 Season Performance
Heading into the 2025 calendar year, Matt Nieto was working under the final season of his two-year, $1.8 million contract with the Pittsburgh Penguins. With the organization balancing youth and veteran depth, Nieto continued to provide a steady, veteran presence on the wing, with the flexibility to move between the NHL roster and the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins of the AHL as needed.
Following the conclusion of his contract, Nieto reached unrestricted free agency, opening the next chapter of his career. His combination of speed, penalty-killing ability, and experience across multiple organizations is expected to keep him in demand as teams evaluate their depth charts for the remainder of the 2025 calendar year and beyond.
Wherever his career continues, Nieto remains a respected bottom-six winger with more than 500 NHL games of experience, two IIHF U18 gold medals, and a track record of steady contributions in a variety of roles.