Recalled/Assigned: Jets Recall Sami Niku (UPD re-assigned to the Moose April 21)

Farmboy Patty

Senior Hockey Analyst
Nov 2, 2017
1,726
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Is it really Nick-coo? That would mean a double tap on the K sound? Not saying I have a sniff on this I just want to get it right.

There is no double tap on the K. The pronunciation is more like knee-coo, but both vowels are short, like Ni-ku. Imagine that he was japanese and call him Niku-San. Then just drop the "san" out of it and you've got it right :laugh:
 

Board Bard

Dane-O-Mite
Jun 7, 2014
7,886
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Is it really Nick-coo? That would mean a double tap on the K sound? Not saying I have a sniff on this I just want to get it right.

I was just using his format. I would have done it Nick-oo (I think I did previously). But anyway, I've already conceded that the i is a hard e as in nee. Definitely the u is not cue, just oo, as when you're amazed.
 

Oilpeg

Registered User
Jun 3, 2014
1,157
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Winnipeg
Seventh round draft pick Sami Niku playing with eighth round draft pick Dustin Byfuglien. Is there another pair of d-men playing together who were, on average, picked in the 7.5th round? High value draft picking with those two on the ice.

Actually, Enstrom was an eighth round pick as well so when Toby and Buff are on they win out by half a round. Amazing what you can get in those late stages of the draft.



m.

Surely there have been undrafted pairs over the years. Wouldn't that trump 8th rounders?
 

garret9

AKA#VitoCorrelationi
Mar 31, 2012
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Vancouver
www.hockey-graphs.com
Seventh round draft pick Sami Niku playing with eighth round draft pick Dustin Byfuglien. Is there another pair of d-men playing together who were, on average, picked in the 7.5th round? High value draft picking with those two on the ice.

Actually, Enstrom was an eighth round pick as well so when Toby and Buff are on they win out by half a round. Amazing what you can get in those late stages of the draft.



m.

This has to stay on HFBoards, but I've been doing some ROI work for selling my company's products to NHL teams, and the 7th round is a fun thing to study.

In general the average value obtained in the 7th round is higher than the 6th round (this is including the busts who never make the NHL).

Here's the real interesting part: If you exclusively look at "who makes it" (NHL GP >0 GP), the average value in the 7th round is higher than the 3rd-6th round.
 
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Whileee

Registered User
May 29, 2010
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This has to stay on HFBoards, but I've been doing some ROI work for selling my companies products to NHL teams, and the 7th round is a fun thing to study.

In general the average value obtained in the 7th round is higher than the 6th round (this is including the busts who never make the NHL).

Here's the real interesting part: If you exclusively look at "who makes it" (NHL GP >0 GP), the average value in the 7th round is higher than the 3rd-6th round.
Very interesting. I wonder if NHL scouts tend to overthink picks a bit higher and focus more on "potential" rather than on "actually good at hockey now". By the 7th round, maybe they are willing to select a player that is a bit older and/or smaller who is currently good at hockey, even if they have concerns about future "upside".
 

Aavco Cup

"I can make you cry in this room"
Sep 5, 2013
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This has to stay on HFBoards, but I've been doing some ROI work for selling my companies products to NHL teams, and the 7th round is a fun thing to study.

In general the average value obtained in the 7th round is higher than the 6th round (this is including the busts who never make the NHL).

Here's the real interesting part: If you exclusively look at "who makes it" (NHL GP >0 GP), the average value in the 7th round is higher than the 3rd-6th round.

We obviously need more 7th round picks :sarcasm:
 

Huffer

Registered User
Jul 16, 2010
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Very interesting. I wonder if NHL scouts tend to overthink picks a bit higher and focus more on "potential" rather than on "actually good at hockey now". By the 7th round, maybe they are willing to select a player that is a bit older and/or smaller who is currently good at hockey, even if they have concerns about future "upside".

Potentially. I actually wonder if it's the other way? Scouts livelihoods are on the line in the early rounds and they need to make sure they don't "miss". By the 7th round, no one is getting fired if that player never plays a game, so they're more likely to take chances on players who might be all potential at that point but just haven't put up a tonne of points, are a little small, etc?
 

Aavco Cup

"I can make you cry in this room"
Sep 5, 2013
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From what I've heard Chevy say about the draft. The seventh round, even the sixth round is for individual scouts. If there is a player(s) left on the board an individual scout has passion about they will consider making that pick. If there isn't any passion they will even try and trade the pick for the next draft.
 
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JetsUK

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Oct 1, 2015
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Snickers - I like it, even though I have no clue who it is or why

It's our house name for Sami Niku, coined by our chocolate-loving youngest kid, who is French first-language and for whom even the snazziest Finnish names are a challenge.
 

larmex99

Registered User
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Jul 4, 2013
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Just checked to see who our amateur European scout is. Turns out Kjell Dahlin has Niku’s hair.....well maybe thinner.
Strange but true.
 

STZD

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Jan 13, 2018
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Atoyot

Registered User
Jul 19, 2013
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Very interesting. I wonder if NHL scouts tend to overthink picks a bit higher and focus more on "potential" rather than on "actually good at hockey now". By the 7th round, maybe they are willing to select a player that is a bit older and/or smaller who is currently good at hockey, even if they have concerns about future "upside".

I'd think this and the belief in boom/bust players versus "safe" players. Usually the safe third liner will get picked before the boom bust player, despite the fact that boom bust players tend to be safer than the "safe" picks.
 

Oilpeg

Registered User
Jun 3, 2014
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Winnipeg
Giardano was undrafted but his partner was a 1st Rd pick

Giordano is a good one. It's hard to say who ever played with who over the years though.

Brenden Dillon and Jordie Benn were in Dallas at the same time.
Dan Girardi and Nick Holden were with the Rangers at the same time.
Brad Hunt and Nick Schmaltz in Vegas this year.
Kevin Millar and Torey Krug in Boston.
Troy Stetcher and Chris Tanev in Vancouver.

Here's a few, no clue if they were ever partners though.
 

Gm0ney

Unicorns salient
Oct 12, 2011
14,422
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Winnipeg
From what I've heard Chevy say about the draft. The seventh round, even the sixth round is for individual scouts. If there is a player(s) left on the board an individual scout has passion about they will consider making that pick. If there isn't any passion they will even try and trade the pick for the next draft.
Where are they now?
Jets 6th and 7th round picks:
Jason Kasdorf (G) - ECHL
Aaron Harstad (D) - ECHL
Ryan Olsen (F) - AHL/ECHL
Jamie Phillips (G) - AHL/ECHL
Marcus Karlstrom (D) - Sweden (Div 1 = 3rd tier)
Brenden Kichton (D) - AHL
Matt Ustaski (F) - NCAA/ECHL
Pavel Kraskovsky (F) - KHL
Matteo Gennaro (F) - WHL
Sami Niku (D) - AHL/NHL
Mason Appleton (F) - AHL
Mikhail Berdin (G) - USHL
Croix Evingson (D) - NCAA
Skylar McKenzie (F) - WHL
Arvid Holm (G) - Sweden (SuperElit/SHL)

Just looking at some other teams' 6th and 7th rounders since 2011:
CBJ - Nutivaara, Anton Forsberg (Chicago's backup G)
NYI - Alan Quine
TOR - Andreas Johnsson, Sparks?
ANA - Kase, Manson
PIT - Scott Wilson
TBL - Palat, Dotchin, Nikita Gusev (KHL)
WSH - Djoos
OTT - Dzingle
DAL - Jokipakka (KHL)
SJS - DeMelo, Labanc
CHI - Hinostroza
FLA - Pakarinen
BOS - Benning
NJD - Bratt
NSH - Mazanec

I think Anaheim is winning - two very good players in Josh Manson and Ondrej Kase. Niku and Appleton from the same draft is looking pretty good too.
 

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