 At the 2005 NHL Entry Draft, he was selected in the first round, 28th overall, by the Dallas Stars.In 2005-06, his freshman season for the Bulldogs men's ice hockey team, he recorded 14 points in 38 games.Before that, Niskanen played for the Virginia/Mountain Iron-Buhl boys' hockey team and helped bring the Blue Devils to their first state high school tournament appearance in school history.