Waived: Antti Niemi for purposes of buy-out

[LEAFANFORLIFE23]

Leafs need a backup, not my 1st choice but I still believe he can be a decent backup

 

[State of Hockey]

My choice for most overrated goalie ever. Addition by subtraction for the Stars.

 

[Dr Pepper]

Had to be done.

 

[Vancouver Canucks]

My choice for most overrated goalie ever. Addition by subtraction for the Stars.

Luongo and Lehner are fine candidates as well.

 

[ColdSteel2]

Had a nice career, helped the Hawks win a Cup.

 

[pheasant]

The problem with that is the large amount of dead cap in a year. Lehtonen is fine as a back up and not buying him out makes it so he isn't on the books next year

They have 23m of cap space with nobody significant to re-sign. They don't need more cap space this year. Buying out Lehtonen handicaps them next year for no reason.

To buy them both out only costs 1.5 million more than just Niemi. So it's a 3 million cap hit in year 2. Not a huge amount of dead space, certainly not handicapping the team.

The point is not financial, but for on-ice purposes. The goaltending sunk an entire season for a team that has some of the best forward talent in the league. Let the players know that it was unacceptable, and it was 100% dealt with. Toronto did it with Reimer and Bernier. Didn't let one of them hang around once they decided to bring in someone else. Clear out the position.

2 new goalies would do wonders for that team. Bishop and litterallyanybackupyoucanfind is better for the team than Bishop and Lehtonen.

 

[Blackhawkswincup]

worst in sharks history is certainly a bit over the top but he certainly was the worst in the era of the sharks being a contending team (starting in about 2000). His style for whatever reason put up decent numbers in the regular season then completely collapsed in the playoffs. It simply did not deal with the upper tier teams well and tended to let in backbreaking goals.

The Hawks won the Cup with him because he was hot for one series (ironically vs the Sharks) and the east representative in the final also got a terrible goaltending performance.

Basically he absolutely seals off just about anything low in almost any situation, but he is extremely weak high, so if a team can get looks and time to go high, it's over.

I believe that is when your GM fell in love with him

If I recall he wanted both Hammer and Niemi and used offer sheet to guarantee he would get one of them as Hawks would be forced to choose

Very good job by him that offer sheet ,, Luckily in end the Hawks made right choice on who to keep

 

[ElGuapo]

To buy them both out only costs 1.5 million more than just Niemi. So it's a 3 million cap hit in year 2. Not a huge amount of dead space, certainly not handicapping the team.

The point is not financial, but for on-ice purposes. The goaltending sunk an entire season for a team that has some of the best forward talent in the league. Let the players know that it was unacceptable, and it was 100% dealt with. Toronto did it with Reimer and Bernier. Didn't let one of them hang around once they decided to bring in someone else. Clear out the position.

2 new goalies would do wonders for that team. Bishop and litterallyanybackupyoucanfind is better for the team than Bishop and Lehtonen.

Lehtonen is still capable of playing and should be a more than adequate backup. It's smart to hang on to him and not add that extra dead cap.

 

[NickLidstrom]

Lot of harsh words for Niemi here, wasn't Lehtonen noticeably worse?

Lehtonen was borderline elite for a short while.

 

[TrillMike]

Leafs need a backup, not my 1st choice but I still believe he can be a decent backup

Trust this Stars fan, that would be a big mistake.

 

[Dr Pepper]

Niemi would be Toskala 2.0 in Toronto.

 

[Crazy Joe Divola]

I tend to be pro-Niemi.

Niemi's mom confirmed.

 

[LEAFANFORLIFE23]

Trust this Stars fan, that would be a big mistake.

See Normally when a fan of a team says "you don't want this player" and it's a fan of a team that player played for I think there has to be a reason for that.

But I recently lived in a world where Jonas Enroth was the backup of the Leafs and Niemi can't be worse, he just he just can't

he just can't I can't envision a world where that's possible, and if it is that is depressing

 

[LT]

See Normally when a fan of a team says "you don't want this player" and it's a fan of a team that player played for I think there has to be a reason for that.

But I recently lived in a world where Jonas Enroth was the backup of the Leafs and Niemi can't be worse, he just he just can't

he just can't I can't envision a world where that's possible, and if it is that is depressing

We had Enroth as a backup a few years ago.

Niemi is worse.

 

[Vancouver Canucks]

We had Enroth as a backup a few years ago.

Niemi is worse.

If he were cheaper, I think he'd be a good option.

 

[Seedling]

Officially bought out according to CBS. http://www.cbssports.com/nhl/transactions

 

[Anaheim4ever]

I'd rather play with 6 skaters all game than have Niemi start another game between the pipes for Dallas.

They would probably win more games that way than with Niemi in net.

 

[Ajaton Azer]

I think Antti Niemi will be nice pickyup for a team looking for a cheap and reliable backup. More of a NHL than a Europe bound.

 

[Jonas1235]

hello NYR. 1 million?

 

[Alwalys]

I think Antti Niemi will be nice pickyup for a team looking for a cheap and reliable backup. More of a NHL than a Europe bound.

He could be one of those backups that puts up better numbers than the starter. keep him in soft matchups on a decent defensive team and he'll do fine.

 

[boredmale]

Since Chicago is getting the band back together they should sign him