Contract Termination: [WPG] Sami Niku (cleared; signs with MTL)

[ManofSteel55]

Weird, why didn't we just trade him

Somebody else has to want him.

He probably has a deal waiting for him in Europe or something.

 

[Pestilence]

He was on a one-way deal right, wonder why he agreed to mutually terminate the contract, if only thing he will get is a two-way deal from some other team, chances are his earnings will dip quite heavily unless he can stay in the NHL.. which is far from a guarantee. I guess if the Jets were throwing in the towel it increases his chances to play in the NHL which can be good in the long run but still

 

[KirkAlbuquerque]

He was AHL Defenseman of the year 2017-2018, the kid was dynamite. Sometimes things just don't turn out.

I think fans should start taking AHL numbers with a grain of salt , even with young players. Brannstrom, D Strome absolutely lit up the A at a young age. They're still decent players but not the superstars everyone thought. Its a huge step up to the NHL, i think some people around here overrate the AHL

 

[wabagee]

I think fans should start taking AHL numbers with a grain of salt , even with young players. Brannstrom, D Strome absolutely lit up the A at a young age. They're still decent players but not the superstars everyone thought. Its a huge step up to the NHL, i think some people around here overrate the AHL

Who said Niku would be a superstar? Most Jets fans thought he’d be a serviceable defender they got with a late draft pick.

 

[Tasteless Beaver]

We thought he would be something like DeAngelo-lite (minus the locker room issues?). I guess he didn't look great at camp again, and Chevy did the gentlemanly thing to let him pick his future. It's surprising that a trade wasn't made, but I also don't see him getting a 1-way contract anymore. His game had too many flaws for Maurice to keep trying to make it work.

 

[Uncle Scrooge]

I don't think Niku is anything special. Makes sense that with the improved D he doesn't have a spot in the lineup.

When dmen around their mid 20's can't crack the lineup after getting the chance to do so, they don't tend to have any notable value.

 

[Stuzchuk]

I know that it's not going to be OTT... we currently have a surplus of LHD...

Which team need a LHD? BUF, ARI?

 

[Junohockeyfan]

We thought he would be something like DeAngelo-lite (minus the locker room issues?). I guess he didn't look great at camp again, and Chevy did the gentlemanly thing to let him pick his future. It's surprising that a trade wasn't made, but I also don't see him getting a 1-way contract anymore. His game had too many flaws for Maurice to keep trying to make it work.

I don't see any takers for Niku via trade. He's an AHLer.

 

[Do Make Say Think]

Honka 2.0?

Honka was never deemed "untouchable".

 

[IranCondraAffair]

Buffalo should take a run at him. Don't they need some NHL ready competition on LHD? He's on the younger side of competition too, so it isn't like he can't grow into a role.

 

[BigZ65]

I'm not saying this as any form of speculation or implication about Niku personally.

But from what I know, he seems like he's an above replacement level defenseman with a decent pedigree who is still young and on a league minimum contract.

So that brings up the question; wonder if this is because he is not compliant with team vaccination policies, and is too far down the lineup for the Jets to consider accomodating him. It would also explain the mutual termination angle.

He's played enough NHL games to make the value of the bolded statement equal to holding a 6/49 ticket. There's a chance he still turns into something but he's been exceptionally awful in the NHL.

 

[Mister Ed]

Feels like a Steve Yzerman project to me. With McIsaac injured, he might a spot in Grand Rapids, with a fast track to Detroit.
Other than Leddy, he's looking at Dekeyser, Staal, Oesterle as competition. It's as good of a spot as any to be in.

 

[ffh]

Ahl player through and through. Should have listened to his fans and freed him years ago chevy. Why he was signed to a 2 year contract I'll never know.

 

[MrHeiskanen]

Another overrated Winnipeg prospect that was going to be god-tier that ended up far from it. Common theme.

 

[NYRKing]

Surprised given how highly wpg HF coveted this guy. He was usually off limits in proposals.

 

[The Hockey Tonk Man]

The same TJ Brennan who played in North America and was a reclamation project for about a decade before going overseas?

Not sure this is the argument you think it is.

pretty sure after 10 years a reclamation project is just a guy that can’t cut it in the big leagues. I’m not really sure but I’d wager TJ didn’t get any one way contracts in those 10 years.

ps, nice user name if it applies to the Thursday tune

 

[GaryPoppins]

Honka 2.0?

Pretty much

 

[Guttersniped]

He was on a one-way deal right, wonder why he agreed to mutually terminate the contract, if only thing he will get is a two-way deal from some other team, chances are his earnings will dip quite heavily unless he can stay in the NHL.. which is far from a guarantee. I guess if the Jets were throwing in the towel it increases his chances to play in the NHL which can be good in the long run but still

I think the “mutual terminations” of minor AHL deals are not quite mutual. The team may simply sit a player to pressure them to terminate the deal so they can dump a contract. He had 750k minor league salary’s if he takes a regular two-way deal he’s making 1ox less in the AHL. (Assuming he gets picked up by another NHL team.)

 

[Aphid]

Another overrated Winnipeg prospect that was going to be god-tier that ended up far from it. Common theme.

This post is terrible. Who said Niku was going to be that tier? I can think of only two prospects for the Jets that were supposed to be good that didn't pan out. Niku and Petan. It was thought Niku would play in the NHL and be good. Not some god level superstar.

[MOD]

 

[Djp]

Buffalo should take a run at him. Don't they need some NHL ready competition on LHD? He's on the younger side of competition too, so it isn't like he can't grow into a role.

not really

on LD they have Dahlin, butcher, Hagg, and a bunch of young ones in Bryson, , Samuelson

at RD if they don’t switch Dahlin there they have Jokiharju, Miller, and Pysyk.

Power plays in 22/23 at LD so I think Dahlin moves to right sude. They have some younger RDs in the system.

 

[GeeoffBrown]

Another overrated Winnipeg prospect that was going to be god-tier that ended up far from it. Common theme.

I feel like Winnipeg is a good drafting and developing team. Everyone has misses.

 

[Michoulicious]

Wasn't he the next big thing?

 

[DudeWhereIsMakar]

Probably got fed up at the fact he wasn't going to be in the Jets line-up leading to a falling out with the Jets.

Jets should've traded him with his high value when they had the chance.

 

[Jets]

I feel like Winnipeg is a good drafting and developing team. Everyone has misses.

Even then a 7th round pick that plays any amount of NHL games is hardly a “miss”

 

[heilongjetsfan]

Wasn't he the next big thing?

I don't recall anyone taking that position. We were excited that he may add an interesting wrinkle as an LHD on a team with Trouba, Byfuglien and Myers as RHD. I think he's ok if he's got a good partner who can cover some of his lapses.

As I'm writing this I remember he really seemed to prefer playing the right side even though he shoots left. I wonder if that could have played a role?