Confirmed Signing with Link: [MTL] Canadiens sign Sami Niku (1 year, $750k, two-way)

[larmex99]

Why didn't he get a chance with the Jets after their big D exodus? Obviously there's no room this year but last couple years they had a bunch of scrubs on their bottom pair.

He is so timid physically that I think you could yell at him and he will cough up the puck.

 

[JuJu Mobb]

Do you think his haircut held him back?

 

[LeonDraisaitl]

Couldn’t have Winnipeg sent him over for future considerations and save everyone the paperwork? I don’t get it, isn’t this essentially the same contract that was terminated?

 

[LeonDraisaitl]

Couldn’t have Winnipeg sent him over for future considerations and save everyone the paperwork? I don’t get it, isn’t this essentially the same contract that was terminated?

Never mind I read it

 

[ole ole]

Arizona seems to have not wanted him. Otherwise they’d have put in a claim. Perhaps they think there will be some other, more attractive options on the waiver wire in the next little while.

By going on what you said it seemed that NO team wanted him because he passed through waivers.
It does seem that he wanted to play for the Habs and not Arizona as he signed a 2 way contract with them.

 

[GreatSaveEssensa]

Yup, cause that is exactly what i said

I swear if i didn’t know, i would think this is a hockey forum for people with severe issues with reading comprehension smh

I literally quoted what you said

 

[OKR]

I literally quoted what you said

So apparently you don’t know what words ”literally” and ”quoted” mean? Because none of that happened lmao

 

[TheGoldenJet]

Another discounted score for Marc Bargain-bin, low risk with moderate upside if everything goes right.

After last year’s run on the backs of 7th rounder upgrades, his nick name seems like more of a complement these days.

 

[Stubu]

FYI to Montreal: his name is pronounced Knee-Q, not Knee-Koo.

Edit: English pronunciation of Q, because someone is definitely going to get confused.

Knee-Q doesn't make any sense. Your knee-koo is closer to the original. FWIW.

 

[Gaud]

hmm i was excited about this at first - after all the kid won AHL D of the season on his first pro season there. Now that i read messages from the 'Peg fans, i wonder if this is a long shot. Is Niku a bust? Is he better than Kulak?

 

[Zhamnov5GoalGame]

Not that he is likely to get this chance often if at all... but the one time I recall him being on the ice during a 3on3 OT situation he looked amazing. Trying to break up a cycle, clear the net or battling for pucks... well not so much. The cries of Free Niku transformed into anyone but Niku.

In reality his bad on ice performance (specifically the last 2 years) was likely about the same level as Beaulieu. They just look VERY different in how they mess up and what they are bad at. Nate got a bunch of playing time because he is big and physical and the Jets were short on that. But his results were so awful that what he did well didn't matter. Niku could have played some of those minutes and had a similar negative impact; just in a really different way. Who knows maybe some more ice time could have helped him figure out how to play in the NHL in a way that wasn't so bad defensively and allowed his offensive skills to shine through.

 

[The Gr8 Dane]

Kulak is better , maybe niku can find another gear offensively tho

 

[libertarian]

400K to play in Laval. Not bad for Niku.

Since Niku past through waivers if he stayed in Winnipeg he be getting $750,000 playing for the Moose this season. That said Niku knew that he was down to about 9th or 10th in the Jets depth chart and had virtually no chance to make the Jets.

Kudo's to Niku for giving up a sure salary of $750,000 to bet on himself.

The fact that Niku is willing to play for less in the AHL for the Habs must mean he thinks he has a better chance to make the Habs then the Jets. Who would of thought as early as last spring when the Habs D dominated the Jets that any player would think that making the Habs D was easier then the Jets?

 

[Kudo Shinichi]

Since Niku past through waivers if he stayed in Winnipeg he be getting $750,000 playing for the Moose this season. That said Niku knew that he was down to about 9th or 10th in the Jets depth chart and had virtually no chance to make the Jets.

Kudo's to Niku for giving up a sure salary of $750,000 to bet on himself.

The fact that Niku is willing to play for less in the AHL for the Habs must mean he thinks he has a better chance to make the Habs then the Jets. Who would of thought as early as last spring when the Habs D dominated the Jets that any player would think that making the Habs D was easier then the Jets?

The habs want their #6 to be an offensive PMD since their top 5 are all good defensively and don't bring that much offence (except for Petry).
He will be battling against Wideman and Kulak (who was the habs #5 D in the series vs Winnipeg) for the spot.
He could have a better chance of making the habs team than the jets team, but thats because he is the kind of player the habs are looking to add. It has nothing to do with one team's D-corps being weaker than the other.

Most likely he starts in the AHL and gets called up first in case of injuries.

 

[jetsforever]

Wish he stuck in Winnipeg but good to see him get a shot in Montreal

 

[Habs Halifax]

I'm somewhat surprised that it was Montreal and not Arizona that Niku chose to play for. There's a massive opportunity in the latter location to get some playing time that may not be available anywhere else.

* Niku has time with Chiarot with the Jets
* Chiarot's previous partner is on LTIR (Weber)
* Habs need a offensive puck mover who is not 100% in the development stage (age 18-22 vs 25+).
* Niku needs a mature and trusted physical guy to be paired up with and I believe the Jets had difficulty with finding this fit for him. Habs have a few of these types.
* Niku gets a very solid 2 way salary for the AHL.

He has a better chance at proving his worth with the Habs vs the Coyotes. He still has to fight for that spot with Chiarot with Norlinder and Wideman but he's got a fair chance at earning that spot and the past experience with Chiarot will help.

Maybe he knows Lehkonen and Armia well? Lehkonen is one year older and Armia is 3 years older and did their time with the Jets overlap? Not sure but if so, all these things add up to Niku signing with the Habs.

 

[theOutsider]

It was more like Sa(mi) (Ni)ku. And of course a reference to a long time Hab.

(mini) Saku?
I like the sound of that..

 

[Kudo Shinichi]

Only played 5 minutes before suffering a concussion from a dirty hit by Josh Norris

 

[Repoman]

Guy can't catch a break...

 

[RC51]

he will never be a hab. Its not that he cant catch a break he causes breaks all the time. also this is it for Poehling if he does not show up and play the best game of his life he will back to the rocket and he will be traded away soon.