The Final Playoff Win of Finland's First Stanley Cup Winning Goalie? Wow! :O

**IrbeFan4Life** · 08-19-2021, 03:49 PM

More goalie stuff to show off? Yup...more goalie stuff to show off! Enjoy the show everyone!

Born on August 29, 1983 in Vantaa, Finland, Antti Niemi was signed by the Chicago Blackhawks as a free agent in 2008. He spent a large portion of the 2008-09 season with Rockford prior to being recalled near the end of the season. He made his NHL debut on February 27, 2009 vs Pittsburgh. Niemi replaced Cristobal Huet between the pipes for the third period and into overtime. Niemi stopped 5 of 6 shots in a 5-4 defeat. He ended up in 3 NHL games that year.

The following season, he lit up the NHL world by recording 26 wins in 39 games, and then recording all 16 wins for Chicago as they went on to win the Stanley Cup! That made him the first Finnish goalie in NHL history to win the Stanley Cup. He was acquired by the Sharks next year as a free agent, where he had another excellent season, appearing in 60 games and then leading San Jose into the Conference Finals. After four more solid years in San Jose with excellent NHL numbers, Niemi was then signed by the Dallas Stars. After two average years there as part of a tandem with fellow Finn, Kari Lehtonen, Niemi had a tough two years afterwards. After signing with Pittsburgh in 2017-18, he was waived after only 3 games as he had allowed 16 goals and recorded a 0.797% save average. His next stop was Florida for two games where it wasn't that much better. He was then claimed by Montreal where fortunately he levelled out and appeared in 19 decent games, as he recorded a shutout and a 0.929% save average with them. The next season was his final one in the NHL as he returned to Europe in 2019-20 to play for Jokerit Helsinki in the KHL. That was his final season of action as even though he has not officially announced his retirement, he has not played in over a year.

In his NHL career, Antti Niemi appeared in 464 regular season games, recording a 242-140-57 record with 36 shutouts, 12 assists, a 2.57GAA, and a 0.912% save average. In 67 playoff games, Niemi recorded a 36-29 record with 2 shutouts, an assist, a 2.77GAA, and a 0.905% save average.

What you are looking at right now is a 2015-16 Dallas Stars White Set 3/Playoffs jersey worn by Niemi in game action three times, including his final playoff win on April 20, 2016. The wear is amazing, featuring lots of puck marks, and two grandiose team repairs (one near the neck, one on the left arm). It is definitively photo and videomatched and is a fine piece of NHL history!

Acquired From: The Meigray Group with LOA

Dates of Game Use:
Mar 26, 2016 v San Jose (34-36, 4-2W)
April 3, 2016 v Anaheim (22-24, 3-1L)
April 20, 2016 v Minnesota (28-30, 3-2W)

Photomatched: YES

**ac4760** · 08-19-2021, 04:05 PM

Very nice acquisition. Sure an easy one to photo match with that nasty cut so high up. Strangely enough, I was just looking at your site a day or 2 ago and noticed you didn't have any of his memorabilia. I picked up a Sharks one of Niemi's awhile back for my Finns jerseys. Look forward to more.