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Habs Sign Sami Niku


Commandant

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He's making Ouellet money in the AHL ($425K), and guaranteed $475K for the season ... good risk ... won't cost anything on the cap if he doesn't pan out.

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He's really struggled in Winnipeg and the advanced stats are UGLY. 

 

 

That said, he's been absolutely dominant in the AHL, even winning AHL defenceman of the year as a 20 year old.  And his NHL time seems to be very stop-start with the Jets removing him from the lineup every time he makes a mistake.   He's only played 54 games and never more than 30 in a season.  I don't think the Jets ever really gave him a big run.

 

He's a pretty good candidate for change of scenery. 

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Great AHL numbers, but his inability to crack a not-exactly-steller Jets blueline does not instill confidence. Hopefully he is a late bloomer. In any case, there's little to dislike in this - we need puck-movers, the more the merrier.

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39 minutes ago, Commandant said:

He's a pretty good candidate for change of scenery. 

Indeed. It might work out that he can crack the lineup -- if he can, he is certainly the type of D we're looking for. And we have had success with some of the Jets castoffs before (Chiarot and Armia).

 

And if our coaching staff can't extract his unfulfilled potential from him to turn him into a consistent NHL defenceman, he is at least a great addition to the Rocket squad.

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46 minutes ago, alfredoh2009 said:

how does he compare to Leskinen?

 

He's dominated the AHL in a way that Leskinen never did.  80 points in 102 games for Niku. 39 points in 85 games for Leskinen.

 

Niku won AHL defenceman of the Year at age 20 (quite rare for someone to win it as a rookie), and when he's been in the AHL since then, he's been one of the best players in the league at that level.  Never won another award cause he never really played another full AHL season, he's bounced up and down.  He hasn't been able to translate that into NHL success yet though.... 

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1 hour ago, The Chicoutimi Cucumber said:

Great AHL numbers, but his inability to crack a not-exactly-steller Jets blueline does not instill confidence. Hopefully he is a late bloomer. In any case, there's little to dislike in this - we need puck-movers, the more the merrier.

 

I feel like he never got a real chance with the Jets.  He's a puck mover, and those types will sometimes make mistakes.  Seems the Jets benched him every time he made a mistake (or sent him back to the AHL).  

 

I know that Habs coaches have been guilty of the same behaviour with other defencemen too though, so that is a concern that he'd be treated the same way here. 

 

I'd like to see what he can do with a real run of games though and getting comfortable in the NHL.  He's never played more than 30 games in an NHL season, and only had like 6 games last year. 

 

He might not be good enough for the NHL, but even if he isn't, he'll help Laval.  If he is good enough to be a 6th defenceman in the NHL he brings us a dimension we lack. 

 

It will be Wideman vs Niku vs Norlinder for that spot.  Hopefully one of the three can do it.

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42 minutes ago, Commandant said:

He might not be good enough for the NHL, but even if he isn't, he'll help Laval.  If he is good enough to be a 6th defenceman in the NHL he brings us a dimension we lack. 

 

It will be Wideman vs Niku vs Norlinder for that spot.  Hopefully one of the three can do it.

Kulak keeps slipping further down ...

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between calling up Oullet or Niku... this is an upgrade.

 

Niku shoots left but I think I read that he has played on the right side (or was that Norlinder ?!)

 

He seems to have as much potential to play in the NHL as Brook, although they were not drafted anywhere close to each other.

 

===

I am still convinced Kulak will be traded, if not only to allow him to play in the NHL. One of those types of trades MB does now and then

 

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27 minutes ago, alfredoh2009 said:

... I am still convinced Kulak will be traded, if not only to allow him to play in the NHL. One of those types of trades MB does now and then

I agree ... Kulak is paired with Gianni Fairbrother on Team A ... doesn't strike me as anything like Savard being with Guhle or Chiarot with Norlinder, to get a good look at the youngsters  ... seems more like "we have to put him somewhere" pairing.

 

Lehkonen is with Poehling (some chance of making the team) and Laurent (Forever Rocket) Dauphin, so not certain AL's spot is guaranteed ... trading both Al and BK would move $4.15M off the cap and replacements would eat up about $1.5M, maybe $2M at most ... every cap dollar counts.

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5 minutes ago, GHT120 said:

I agree ... Kulak is paired with Gianni Fairbrother on Team A ... doesn't strike me as anything like Savard being with Guhle or Chiarot with Norlinder, to get a good look at the youngsters  ... seems more like "we have to put him somewhere" pairing.

 

Lehkonen is with Poehling (some chance of making the team) and Laurent (Forever Rocket) Dauphin, so not certain AL's spot is guaranteed ... trading both Al and BK would move $4.15M off the cap and replacements would eat up about $1.5M, maybe $2M at most ... every cap dollar counts.

 

When Gallagher arrives at camp this weekend (personal) and Edmundson starts practicing soon (very minor injury), those lines and pairings could change a lot. 

 

I mean long-term Hoffman and Byron are gonna be added too, but they will be out to start the regular season, so I'm not considering them, but the other two should be playing shortly. 

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My hopes aren't high on this guy. On a Winnipeg team hit with tons of injuries on defense and struggling to find warm bodies, he couldn't crack their line-up. It's low risk I guess. Lost Mete to waivers, signed Niku in the depth chart. 

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26 minutes ago, JDLagrange said:

My hopes aren't high on this guy. On a Winnipeg team hit with tons of injuries on defense and struggling to find warm bodies, he couldn't crack their line-up. It's low risk I guess. Lost Mete to waivers, signed Niku in the depth chart. 

I think he was hindered by injuries like Juulsen, never could get going.

 

Maybe he is a late bloomer like Mike Rielly ?!

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3 hours ago, alfredoh2009 said:

Niku shoots left but I think I read that he has played on the right side (or was that Norlinder ?!)

 

It applies to both, actually. 

 

If nothing else, the fact he recently cleared termination waivers when he had a lower cap hit should increase the likelihood that he'll make it through unclaimed to get to Laval (unless there are injuries in the preseason and a team needs to add a cheap replacement).  He'd be a big addition for the Rocket if he gets there.  At this point, he needs to play some consistent minutes, regardless of where he winds up starting. 

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21 minutes ago, dlbalr said:

He'd be a big addition for the Rocket if he gets there.  At this point, he needs to play some consistent minutes, regardless of where he winds up starting. 

I would be inclined to start him with a solid stretch, maybe 20 games or so, in Laval, where he can be guided and also observed.

 

Unless, of course, he surprises all of us in the next couple of weeks.

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42 minutes ago, tomh009 said:

I would be inclined to start him with a solid stretch, maybe 20 games or so, in Laval, where he can be guided and also observed.

 

Unless, of course, he surprises all of us in the next couple of weeks.

Makes sense to me ... although he has already dominated in the AHL, especially offensively, as the Rocket are in the same locale as the organization they could give him some extra attention for his defensive play ...... hopefully the "extra" $50K he is owed above his AHL salary if he plays the entire year in Laval won't lead them to "force" some N HL games that are not earned.

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4 minutes ago, GHT120 said:

Makes sense to me ... although he has already dominated in the AHL, especially offensively, as the Rocket are in the same locale as the organization they could give him some extra attention for his defensive play ...... hopefully the "extra" $50K he is owed above his AHL salary if he plays the entire year in Laval won't lead them to "force" some N HL games that are not earned.

it won't force them to do anything. All it means is that Niku won't earn anything extra for his first 12 NHL games; after the 13th, he'll make an extra $4000 or so per NHL game.

 

$475K will provide Niku a decent salary while in Laval/Montreal, as compared to the AHL-minimum salaries most prospects get. But his primary goal, surely, is to rebuild his NHL career so I'm not concerned about any lack of motivation. The question is whether he can turn his talent into a solid NHL performance and play within Ducharme's system.

 

An old scouting report:
 

Quote

 

Has outstanding puck skills, and is reliable in his own end of the ice. Makes smart, safe decisions and displays a sound hockey IQ. Skates very well and makes a good first pass. Owns a strong lower body and is solid on his skates. Is somewhat limited, both in terms of ideal size for the National Hockey League and high-end offensive upside. Must prove he can withstand the rigors of the North American professional ranks in order to maximize output.

Long Range Potential: Smart, poised puck-moving defenseman with upside.

 

 

And one from the esteemed Mr Kerr from two years ago (on LWoS):
 

Quote

 

After being the AHL defencemen of the year in 2017-18, it was hoped that Niku would be NHL ready last year. He was given a chance with the Jets, but still had some maturing to do. In 30 games he scored a goal and had four points. In 20 AHL games, Niku had three goals and 12 points.

Skating

Niku is an average skater. His stride is long and smooth, but his footwork could be a bit quicker. While he has decent speed and acceleration, its nothing to write home about either. This is also true about his backwards skating. His agility and pivots are particularly strong. Niku can change directions on a dime, allowing him to avoid forecheckers, or to stay with his man. He also transitions quickly from offence to defence and vice-versa. Niku has added lower body strength in recent years, becoming stronger on his skates and better in battles along the boards.

Offensive Game

Niku has a powerful shot from the point. He uses his lateral agility to walk the line, opening up shooting lanes to get that shot off. Niku understands how to keep it low, and on the net, in order to give teammates opportunities for rebounds, deflections and tips. He also sneaks down from the point to take a wrist shot. It is powerful and has a quick release.

He is also a strong playmaker. Niku sees the ice well and has good passing skills. He can skate the puck out of danger in his own end, as well as start the transition with a good first pass. Niku has even been known to lead the rush, showing good stickhandling skill and the ability to beat defenders one-on-one. He retrieves pucks quickly and can move them out of dangerous areas and up the ice.

Defensive Game

Niku has gotten stronger over the last year. He can still get pushed around on the boards and struggles to clear big forwards in front of the net but has improved in this aspect of his game. He still needs to add more muscle especially as he transitions to the NHL. Niku has a quick stick and can poke-check the puck away from opponents. He is also very smart in his positioning and anticipation. While he will likely never be a bruiser, he can be an effective defender if he gains that additional strength.

Outlook

With the departures on the blueline, there is an open spot on the Jets defence group this season. Niku heads to training camp expected to win that job and make a much bigger impact on the team this year. With Trouba gone, he should also get the power-play time needed to make an impact at the offensive end of the ice.

 

 

 

 

 

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Hmm, we was invited to the Jets training camp but they released him afterwards.  From his stats it doesn't look like the Jets gave him much of a chance in the NHL.  Something about that just seems odd.    At 6'-1" and 176 lbs he seems way too small, and it seems like he has a high PIM.  I wonder if the reason the Jets dumped him is because he gets penalties at bad times that lead to a lot of PPGA?

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15 hours ago, tomh009 said:

it won't force them to do anything. All it means is that Niku won't earn anything extra for his first 12 NHL games; after the 13th, he'll make an extra $4000 or so per NHL game ...

 

Obviously ... force was in quotes, as in not that the Habs would be somehow forced to give him games in the NHL but that they might choose to "force" him into a few NHL games when his play, or the Habs needs, did not merit it.

Would it not also mean he effectively gets a $50K "bonus" if he plays the full season in Laval and doesn't play any NHL games?

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14 hours ago, Sir_Boagalott said:

... At 6'-1" and 176 lbs he seems way too small ...

 

6'1", 176 lbs sounds small ... especially for a defenceman ... perhaps an issue shared by 5'10", 180 lbs Chris Wideman ... but it is also similar to Lehkonen (5'11", 179 lbs) and Jake Evans (6', 176 lbs) ... and huge compared to Paul Byron (5'9", 165 lbs) and Cole Caulfield (5'7", 166 lbs)  .....  logic suggests to me that a key for Niku is the distribution of that weight ... his legs would need to be strong to give him any chance when jostling with bigger players.

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