Decision time for Nino: Does he stay or go?

Islanders general manager Garth Snow and coach Scott Gordon have not provided any hints about where Nino Niederreiter will be on Friday, but the 18-year-old rookie is predicting a return to Portland.

Niederreiter, who was selected fifth overall in the June draft, will play his ninth game of the NHL season Wednesday night in Montreal. According to the league's collective bargaining agreement, the Islanders must then decide before the 10th game of the season whether to keep him or send him back to his junior club - the Western Hockey League's Portland Winterhawks - to avoid losing a year of eligibility on his entry-level contract.

"I'm guessing I'll go back," Niederreiter said Tuesday after mulling the question for several seconds.

In fairness to Niederreiter, he may have based his projection on the fact that forwards Rob Schremp and Matt Martin practiced with the team Tuesday. However, it is unlikely that either will have any bearing on Niederreiter's status. Schremp is still at least a week away from returning from a back injury and Martin was recalled on an emergency basis for banged-up forwards Michael Grabner (groin) and Trent Hunter (foot).

Snow said he has not had any conversation with Niederreiter about the impending decision.

"We haven't made a final decision yet," Snow said by telephone. "There are a lot of ingredients that go into making the decision: What's in the best interest for the player, what's in the best interest of the organization, how we feel about the organization we'd be sending him back to, and also the mental makeup of the player."

Based upon his first eight games, Niederreiter believes he can play at the NHL level but will understand if the organization decides he needs more seasoning at the junior level.

"I've tried my best every game so I wouldn't be disappointed either way, but it's the coach's decision," said Niederreiter, who has a goal and an assist.

Niederreiter said he'll feel relieved once he finds out, regardless of the outcome.

"I'm happy that the day has finally come," he said. "I've been thinking every day about it."

Gordon said the decision will not hinge on any single performance. "I don't know that you'd base your decision on one game," he said. "You have to base everything on the whole picture . . . It's a full evaluation."