Player Discussion: Sami Niku

[Buffdog]

Honest question.. how much have you actually watched niku play? As in, how many game minutes?

If I were to be COMPLETELY objective, I would say this about the kid: he's put together a great AHL career. He put up great numbers down there. We haven't seen enough of him yet at the NHL level to know whether or not the skill set he has that has allowed him to do what he's done in the A will translate to the show (in fact, his numbers up with the jets are much worse than potato's, who is the whipping boy du jour in these parts - why does niku get a pass?).

On the other hand, jets management has been around him every day for the past few years. Their eyes have seen every practice and every shift of every game has played. They have a sense for what he's like off the ice in terms of work effort and professionalism. In other words, they have a body of knowledge on him that's a huge order of magnitude larger than any of us. Maybe... just maybe... they know about Sami Niku than the hfboard hivemind.

This place has been littered with petans and postmas and burmis and danos and who knows how many others y'all thought were being held back by jets management only to go on and have the same results when given opportunities in other orgs.

I'm not saying I blindly trust tnse and I'm not saying niku won't have a good NHL career. I'm just saying that there could be more to him that you've seen and there could be good reasons that you are unaware of as to why he's not a full time nhl player *yet*.

 

[Howard Chuck]

It's not entirely up to Maurice at this point. They acquired Bitetto, Dahlstrom and Sbisa to fill in for a bunch of injuries on D (Buff, Beaulieu, Niku, Poolman). Only Niku can be demoted to the AHL without waivers and without retaining significant salary. At this point, I think salary and cap considerations driven by Chevy and management are going to play a role in what happens with Niku and the D, particularly until the Buff situation is clarified. It's just a messed up season on D.

Maybe we see him a little later on in the season, once they evaluate his recovery, his performance and whether the Jets can get into something resembling a playoff team. Sort of like adding a player at the trade deadline, but from within. See where you are and if it's worth it to bring someone up.

Of course my opinion is that it's always worth it if it makes the team better for my enjoyment, but I understand there are business decisions as well.

 

[JetsUK]

What’s the business or hockey reason for keeping Sbisa in over Niku in what is now clearly a development year? On the off-chance that Sbisa gets claimed the Jets save his 700k that the Buff uncertainty makes even more precious, no?

 

[tbcwpg]

What’s the business or hockey reason for keeping Sbisa in over Niku in what is now clearly a development year? On the off-chance that Sbisa gets claimed the Jets save his 700k that the Buff uncertainty makes even more precious, no?

The hockey reason at first was that he was hurt and hadn't got a lot of minutes in at camp, and he would by playing first pairing in the AHL. Now that he's getting some time I would expect him sometime soon, but Maurice tends to not call up unless there's an injury.

 

[Whileee]

What’s the business or hockey reason for keeping Sbisa in over Niku in what is now clearly a development year? On the off-chance that Sbisa gets claimed the Jets save his 700k that the Buff uncertainty makes even more precious, no?

Jets are on the hook for his 700k salary even if he's assigned to the Moose because he has a one-way contract. Same for Dahlstrom. Bitetto makes 350k with the Moose. Niku makes 70k with the Moose. So, from a business perspective the Jets are better off with Niku in the AHL than with any of the others.

I highly doubt that any of Bitetto, Dahlstrom or Sbisa would get claimed off waivers at this point. The Jets' best case scenario is that one or more of them has a surprisingly good season and they can trade them at the trade deadline for a low-end draft pick to a playoff team that has injuries on D and needs some cheap depth.

 

[Whileee]

The hockey reason at first was that he was hurt and hadn't got a lot of minutes in at camp, and he would by playing first pairing in the AHL. Now that he's getting some time I would expect him sometime soon, but Maurice tends to not call up unless there's an injury.

Maurice doesn't "call up" anyone. That's Chevy's role. He has an influence on this, of course, but the final determination rests with Chevy.

 

[ffh]

What’s the business or hockey reason for keeping Sbisa in over Niku in what is now clearly a development year? On the off-chance that Sbisa gets claimed the Jets save his 700k that the Buff uncertainty makes even more precious, no?

who said this was a clearly a developmental year. I know a lot of people around here had him penciled in to the top4 but he hasn't even made the team. im sure if he is healthy and they thought he was better then anybody up here he would be up here.

 

[DannyGallivan]

Honest question.. how much have you actually watched niku play? As in, how many game minutes?

If I were to be COMPLETELY objective, I would say this about the kid: he's put together a great AHL career. He put up great numbers down there. We haven't seen enough of him yet at the NHL level to know whether or not the skill set he has that has allowed him to do what he's done in the A will translate to the show (in fact, his numbers up with the jets are much worse than potato's, who is the whipping boy du jour in these parts - why does niku get a pass?).

On the other hand, jets management has been around him every day for the past few years. Their eyes have seen every practice and every shift of every game has played. They have a sense for what he's like off the ice in terms of work effort and professionalism. In other words, they have a body of knowledge on him that's a huge order of magnitude larger than any of us. Maybe... just maybe... they know about Sami Niku than the hfboard hivemind.

This place has been littered with petans and postmas and burmis and danos and who knows how many others y'all thought were being held back by jets management only to go on and have the same results when given opportunities in other orgs.

I'm not saying I blindly trust tnse and I'm not saying niku won't have a good NHL career. I'm just saying that there could be more to him that you've seen and there could be good reasons that you are unaware of as to why he's not a full time nhl player *yet*.

Mature post. Logical arguments that Spock himself would envy (if Vulcans had such an emotion). I still fully expect that we'll see him at some point this season.

 

[JetsUK]

Whoops -- hadn't realized Sbisa's contract was one-way. Ouch.

Makes Niku's early-season groin injury even worse luck in a season that has already been a high-water mark of terrible luck.

 

[Mortimer Snerd]

It's not entirely up to Maurice at this point. They acquired Bitetto, Dahlstrom and Sbisa to fill in for a bunch of injuries on D (Buff, Beaulieu, Niku, Poolman). Only Niku can be demoted to the AHL without waivers and without retaining significant salary. At this point, I think salary and cap considerations driven by Chevy and management are going to play a role in what happens with Niku and the D, particularly until the Buff situation is clarified. It's just a messed up season on D.

There is no reason not to waive any of Bitetto, Sbisa or Dahlstrom. They get claimed or they don't.

 

[tbcwpg]

Maurice doesn't "call up" anyone. That's Chevy's role. He has an influence on this, of course, but the final determination rests with Chevy.

Sure, but I think Chevy's role is more of a rubber stamp when it comes to hockey based decisions like that. If Maurice came to him saying he wanted Niku back up, he would be

 

[DRW204]

 

[surixon]

The kid has nothing else to prove on the AHL and should be given NHL games this year to see if he can adapt his skill. He brings a lot of attributes that are valuable in the new NHL.

 

[ffh]

The kid has nothing else to prove on the AHL and should be given NHL games this year to see if he can adapt his skill. He brings a lot of attributes that are valuable in the new NHL.

does anybody really not believe that if he is good enough and healthy enough the jets wouldn't have him up here.

 

[JetsUK]

who said this was a clearly a developmental year. I know a lot of people around here had him penciled in to the top4 but he hasn't even made the team. im sure if he is healthy and they thought he was better then anybody up here he would be up here.

I have some confidence in the Jets' evaluation of Niku's injury and readiness to return to an NHL lineup. I have substantially less confidence in the Jets' evaluation of whether he is likely to be "better than anybody up here," especially when that "anybody" includes Sbisa, Dahlstrom and (though he's been better than expected over the past several games and made a case for staying up) Bitetto. We're not talking about a hard-to-crack all-star defence here.

The cost savings I get -- but then why claim Sbisa at all knowing that Beaulieu and Niku were both likely to return in short order?

 

[Whileee]

There is no reason not to waive any of Bitetto, Sbisa or Dahlstrom. They get claimed or they don't.

Right, but if they waive Sbisa and send him to the Moose and call up Niku instead, it costs the Jets an extra 600-700k (over a full season).

 

[AKAChip]

does anybody really not believe that if he is good enough and healthy enough the jets wouldn't have him up here.

Yes. Many of us do believe that. And for good reason, too.

 

[JetsUK]

Right, but if they waive Sbisa and send him to the Moose and call up Niku instead, it costs the Jets an extra 600-700k (over a full season).

How would you balance the extra cost of paying a Moose-bound Sbisa against the development cost of another season of Niku in the AHL, all things being equal? Have they handcuffed themselves here, at least until the Buff situation is clarified?

 

[surixon]

Right, but if they waive Sbisa and send him to the Moose and call up Niku instead, it costs the Jets an extra 600-700k (over a full season).

When has this ever stopped the Jets before? I seem to recall a number of instances of the Jets stashing expensive players in the AHL.

 

[ffh]

Yes. Many of us do believe that. And for good reason, too.

who has that ever happened too before. who have the jets kept in the minors who was clearly ready to play in the nhl.

 

[AKAChip]

who has that ever happened too before. who have the jets kept in the minors who was clearly ready to play in the nhl.

How is that relevant to this specific situation? And what is the viable argument that Niku isn’t ready for the NHL? He clearly dominates the AHL Unfortunately, there’s no league in between.

 

[Mortimer Snerd]

Right, but if they waive Sbisa and send him to the Moose and call up Niku instead, it costs the Jets an extra 600-700k (over a full season).

And improves the product on the ice. And makes Niku happier. The actual dollar differences and cap hit differences are just too small to carry any weight.

 

[Mortimer Snerd]

who has that ever happened too before. who have the jets kept in the minors who was clearly ready to play in the nhl.

Apparently, Niku.

 

[ps241]

Perhaps I am wrong and Niku is the next Postma/Petan/name the bright shinny object that didn't Pan out. I just think this season you take the next 60 games to find out if the former AHL D man of the year can grow into a top 4 role in the NHL? We have nothing to lose so why not fish a bit for young upside as opposed to playing proven bottom paring vets that are playing over their head and not part of our future? Either way I am starting to not really care that much.

 

[Gm0ney]

Jets are on the hook for his 700k salary even if he's assigned to the Moose because he has a one-way contract. Same for Dahlstrom. Bitetto makes 350k with the Moose. Niku makes 70k with the Moose. So, from a business perspective the Jets are better off with Niku in the AHL than with any of the others.

I highly doubt that any of Bitetto, Dahlstrom or Sbisa would get claimed off waivers at this point. The Jets' best case scenario is that one or more of them has a surprisingly good season and they can trade them at the trade deadline for a low-end draft pick to a playoff team that has injuries on D and needs some cheap depth.

Well, I'm glad to see you've come around to my line of thinking that the Jets are so cheap they'd rather bury a better player in the AHL than spend an extra $700k.