Niemi

[Bomm Bastic]

Assuming this plays out the way I think it does....can anyone recall any other goalie that won a cup only to be relegated to back-up duty the following year. Osgood?
There must be a few others.

That's gotta suck, but at least they can rest easy knowing they have a cup under their belt (no pun intended)

[Jason_Banks]

Well for those that want fun Niemi story...

I claimed the guy 2 years ago after the waiver time at season start (yahoo lg). I knew no one knew who he was or what he could do otherwise id have waisted the waiver on him.

So that year he sat in the AHL playing solid for Rockford and out playing Crawford. (stats dont show that much, but Niemi was playing top teams while Crawford was playing less talented teams. Much like Justin Pogge did with the Toronto Marlies)

To start last season I had more than a few arguments with anouther manager who owned Crawford on who was going to be the Blackhawks Backup. He didnt awknowledge the fact that Niemi was better in the AHL, had experiance going far in euro championships, or the fact that Niemi's contract for last season was 1 way and waiver eligable whereas Crawford was 2 way and no waivers).

As we know to start the season Niemi won the job, and for then on it was me vs him in the trashtalking.

Those who read my sig can see I have a pretty solid team offencively. My only problem is goaltending, and in net I have lots of talent just no luck. Harding, DiPietro, Lehtonen, Varlamov... all go up and down with injuries... especially at in opertune times... (All my goalies are Drafted or start of season waivers, and all were aquired before they played in the NHL except for DiPietro, who I traded for using an old D man for in a buy low Bid) I keep DiPietro because when he plays healthy he's a top 15 or better NHL goalie, when he's on IR he doesnt affect my roster at all lol. Lehtonen was aquired in the Lockout year for Pasi Nurminen, about 3-4 months before Pasi busted his knee. Harding, one of the best backups in the Game, has all the talent to be a starter, but no luck with his recently fragile body, (from 00-07 played more than 40 games and usually 50-60 with no injuries, 08 had 30 NHL games but the injuries started) at 26 years old i still hold him for his talent and potential for when he hits his Prime. Varlamov, hast done anything wrong, just started to look like a bandaid boy last year when he had a massive oppertunity.

Antti Niemi I expected to turn me a corrner with one of those above goalies preforming solidly.

well end of season... After an excellent season and a Stanley Cup out of Niemi, I had alot bigger expectations with Varlamov and Neuvirth, meaing more Varly games, Lehtonen on an insulated Dallas team, Niemi being a starter for Chicago and Harding hopefully traded from behind Backstrom...

today... Well DiPietro is apperently healthy (not gonna rely on this at all), Niemi's status is un-known, and Harding is still behind Backstrom... Lehtonen and Varlamov still look Ok for me...

I've been going through the up and down rollercoaster everyday that is Antti Niemi, all in hopes I can get 190 starts outta my 5 current goalies this season... Currently my projection is like 125 starts with Harding and Niemi woes. This is the only thing holding me back from my Lg Championship.

FML

[Garbage Goal]

This is from the Bleacher Report...

Am I missing something?

"Antti Niemi to the San Jose Sharks looks like a real possibility, but not yet a probability. Wait and see if Capitals come back with an improved offer."

Link = http://bleacherreport.com/articles/4...vening-edition

Soooooo...the Sharks have made an offer???? and the Caps are improving on the Sharks offer??? Improving on their initial offer???

This quote is very suggestive for the 2 sentences they dedicated to Niemi in the article. I google this FOR - EV - OR...and found nothing.

Something I dont know here???

[GoalieGuild]

Bleacher Report is complete trash and I would suggest not reading anything goalie related that comes from that website.

The whole Niemi thing is a sad, sad story. He's said very strongly that he refuses to play in Europe. But that doesn't mean he won't be forced to.

And regardless, I still think he should. It's only a year, big deal. Play tons of games, son and work on that butterfly!!!!

I could see a team having a serious injury and then he gets signed, but it's risky business playing that game. Once camps start up, every day he's not in a pro camp is a negative.

[EliasFan]

I also had Niemi for 2 years probably, but traded him just after the Hawks won the Cup. The manager getting Niemi needed goaltenders in a bad way, and I really wanted Tavares! So I also sent Pronger, Nash, and C Crawford, and got back Weber, Yandle, (I needed D-men) and Robin Lehner. Right after the trade I seriously started to have second thoughts, but the last month and a half has been crazy. Niemi of course having nowhere to play, and now Pronger being banged up..... I think I got lucky!

[jsender]

I picked Niemi up at the start of last season and through-out the season battling for Huet I eventually caved and traded him as I didn't know if he had what it took to be the #1 and Huet was seeing most of the starts at that time. Got Elliott and J. Johnson out of it. As the season went on was kicking myself then he wins the stanley cup and i was kicking myself even harder as his value reached an all-time high. Now breathing a sigh of relief as I am the only one that got anything out of that deal.. For now..