Contract Termination: [WPG] Sami Niku (cleared; signs with MTL)
- Thread starter Booba
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Hard disagree.
I feel comfortable with Beaulieu filling in for injuries and playing solid 5v5 and PK minutes for us in big games. If Niku was our guy coming in for injuries I would be nervous every time he touched the ice, and he also would not be serviceable for any special teams.
KrisLetAngry
MrJukeBoy
That's the name I thought of. Crazy how well he did in AHL.
mattihp
Registered User
Wings tend to shy away from finnish players. The Golden knights are closing in on the amount of finns who have played at least one NHL game..
LeapOnOver
Mackenzie is a hack!
At this point he'll play any side you ask him to
Seriosly though, I think he plays both, not sure which he does better with.
Artorius Horus T
sincerety
Good news.
Finally, Sami Niku gets a fresh start.
For years, Jets screwed Sami's development.
The good thing is, he is only 24 and i hope the damage wasn't too big
and mentally he is still good.
Man, ive really grown to loath the Winnipeg Jets current franchise (mainly because of PoMo)
what they did to Laine, what they did to Niku and still doing to Vesalainen and especially to Heinola
Its not just Finnish prospects/players thou; Russian's, Czech's and Swedes too
Hope Hawks would go for him. Hawks D is fine but adding someone like Niku would be a bonus.
Finally, Sami Niku gets a fresh start.
For years, Jets screwed Sami's development.
The good thing is, he is only 24 and i hope the damage wasn't too big
and mentally he is still good.
Man, ive really grown to loath the Winnipeg Jets current franchise (mainly because of PoMo)
what they did to Laine, what they did to Niku and still doing to Vesalainen and especially to Heinola
Its not just Finnish prospects/players thou; Russian's, Czech's and Swedes too
Hope Hawks would go for him. Hawks D is fine but adding someone like Niku would be a bonus.
biturbo19
Registered User
- Jul 13, 2010
- 26,097
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I'd be surprised if he didn't get at least a little bit more time to run out his game in the NHL. But maybe he's decided heading back to Europe to rehabilitate his status is the better long-term bet?
He's kinda trending like a Phillip Larsen type. He can move the puck and he's got some offensive ability, but if he physically can't defend...what exactly is he?
I'll admit, i've kinda fallen for both of them in terms of "potential upside". But at some point, you've gotta stop falling for the same trick i guess. Defending is still important for defencemen.
He's kinda trending like a Phillip Larsen type. He can move the puck and he's got some offensive ability, but if he physically can't defend...what exactly is he?
I'll admit, i've kinda fallen for both of them in terms of "potential upside". But at some point, you've gotta stop falling for the same trick i guess. Defending is still important for defencemen.
I also hope the Hawks decide to add him to their starting roster, those divisional matchups are gonna be big games.
mattihp
Registered User
The fresh start might be in the AHL or the KHL though.
I think neither the Jets nor Niku have done what is best for Sami. He could have been an NHLer. If he still can? Not as sure.
Yes lets not hold the players themselves accountable at all. All victims of circumstance. Why is Ehlers doing alright? Connor? Wouldn’t the same environment affect them as well?
Necrobutcher
Registered User
I have a hard time believing this was the general opinion. I might even say that it for sure wasn't.
I’m guessing if people were saying that, it was most likely finish fans not Jets fans.
Last edited:
Fatass
Registered User
- Apr 17, 2017
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Is he the kind of D man who looks great for the 5% of his ice time he has the puck, but absolutely terrible for the 95% of his ice time that he doesn’t?
- Jul 4, 2013
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This can’t be a serious post. I have watched every shift that Sami played and on several of those shifts he approached mediocrity. On most shifts he was horrid and showed no inclination to actually be a defenseman. Jets fans badly needed him to be a decent player but he just never got there. Best defenseman? Not a chance. Ever.
Agents comments via google translate:
Winnipeg Jets' Finnish defender Sami Niku has made a tough decision.
Niku asked Jets to terminate his one-way contract.
Sami informed them last weekend that he wants to leave, Nku's player agent Jarmo Kork tells Ilta-Sanomat.
The solution is exceptional.
I don't know if there is anyone in the history of our Finnish players who would have dismantled the one-way deal on his own initiative. The initiative came entirely from Sam himself, Kork says.
Canadian channel TSN, meanwhile, said Monday that the Jets have put Niku, 24, on the transfer list.
NIKU's start in North America was promising. In his first season in the 2017–18 AHL, the youth world champion hit a whopping 54 (16 + 38) power points in 76 matches. He was chosen as the best defender in the farm league.
After the entrant agreement, Jets made a one-way extension deal with Niku.
We assumed he would get a good display position, Kork says.
In the end, though, the thoughts of Jets head coach Paul Maurice and Niku on the game didn’t match.
Koutsi (Maurice) forbade Sam to strongly attack. Maurice is a good coach, but his tactics are terribly defensive. Sami just didn’t fit into his plans.
During the four seasons, Niku, who is an offensive defender in profile, played a total of 54 NHL matches in the Jets with powers of 2 + 8 = 10.
Last season, the number of matches was down to six, which made Niku camp react.
At the beginning of February, we asked the club to make a turn.
However, the player deal did not materialize for one reason or another.
-We always asked every couple of weeks if Niku could be turned.
NIKU enjoys an annual salary of $ 725,000 or € 618,000 in Winnipeg, but now he was ready to give it up. Termination of the contract at the initiative of the player knows the end of the salary payment.
He wants more to get to play than to make big money, Kork says.
Sami sees that a defender like him has no use in Winnipeg.
At Niku’s request, the Jets placed him on a so-called waiver transfer list from which any NHL club can pick him up within a day.
If no club grabs JYP was raised, he will be released from the NHL contract.
Source:
https://www.is.fi/nhl/art-2000008278678.html
Winnipeg Jets' Finnish defender Sami Niku has made a tough decision.
Niku asked Jets to terminate his one-way contract.
Sami informed them last weekend that he wants to leave, Nku's player agent Jarmo Kork tells Ilta-Sanomat.
The solution is exceptional.
I don't know if there is anyone in the history of our Finnish players who would have dismantled the one-way deal on his own initiative. The initiative came entirely from Sam himself, Kork says.
Canadian channel TSN, meanwhile, said Monday that the Jets have put Niku, 24, on the transfer list.
NIKU's start in North America was promising. In his first season in the 2017–18 AHL, the youth world champion hit a whopping 54 (16 + 38) power points in 76 matches. He was chosen as the best defender in the farm league.
After the entrant agreement, Jets made a one-way extension deal with Niku.
We assumed he would get a good display position, Kork says.
In the end, though, the thoughts of Jets head coach Paul Maurice and Niku on the game didn’t match.
Koutsi (Maurice) forbade Sam to strongly attack. Maurice is a good coach, but his tactics are terribly defensive. Sami just didn’t fit into his plans.
During the four seasons, Niku, who is an offensive defender in profile, played a total of 54 NHL matches in the Jets with powers of 2 + 8 = 10.
Last season, the number of matches was down to six, which made Niku camp react.
At the beginning of February, we asked the club to make a turn.
However, the player deal did not materialize for one reason or another.
-We always asked every couple of weeks if Niku could be turned.
NIKU enjoys an annual salary of $ 725,000 or € 618,000 in Winnipeg, but now he was ready to give it up. Termination of the contract at the initiative of the player knows the end of the salary payment.
He wants more to get to play than to make big money, Kork says.
Sami sees that a defender like him has no use in Winnipeg.
At Niku’s request, the Jets placed him on a so-called waiver transfer list from which any NHL club can pick him up within a day.
If no club grabs JYP was raised, he will be released from the NHL contract.
Source:
https://www.is.fi/nhl/art-2000008278678.html
Someone from Finland complaining about how the Jets develop their Finish prospects… LOL. The Jets do a great job as a Draft and Develop franchise.
Frankly, I hope the Jets stop drafting players from Finland. They seem to have a bad attitude and/or don’t want to put in the full effort to become complete NHL players.
Farmboy Patty
Senior Hockey Analyst
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Tasteless Beaver
Here for the hot takes
He was a 7th rounder that wasn't expected to turn into anything, but had a couple good camps and played really well in the AHL. It's a miracle that he got that far at all. A two-player sample of Niku and Laine aren't really indicative - we still have Vesalainen and Heinola (among others) that seem to be panning out okay, without any attitude issues.
Joe Hallenback
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- Mar 4, 2005
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We would have drove Niku to the airport if that is all it took to get Stone
Farmboy Patty
Senior Hockey Analyst
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This era will later be known "The wasted PoMo years". I hope Niku gets a fair shot on a team looking for an offensive top 4 D.
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