Platinum Sponsor


| Position | Defence |
|---|---|
| Height | 6'2" |
| Weight | 88kg |
| Shoots | R |
| Date of Birth | 17-02-1999 |
| Place of Birth | Rovaniemi, FIN |
| Gold Sponsor 1 |
|---|
| The Thorley-Avins Family |
| Gold Sponsor 2 |
| Tom & Amy Humphreys, Ben Bradbury & Liam McWilliam |
| Silver Sponsor 1 |
| Matthew, Carla and Cody Wells |
| Silver Sponsor 2 |
| Charlie, Tony, Rebecca & Sam |
Finnish defenceman Jaako Niskala returns to the Nottingham Panthers for the 2026-27 season.
The 27-year-old is back at the Motorpoint Arena after a season in Japan's Asia League, where he iced for the Nikko Icebucks, scoring 15 points (3+12) in 40 games.
Niskala was one of the top defencemen in 2024-25 as Panthers won the Playoff Championship, beating Cardiff Devils 4-3 thanks to Mitch Fossier's goal in second overtime.
So dependable on the blueline, Niskala finished the season with a plus-minus of +29 and was a popular player on and off the ice.