Sami Niku

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Sami Niku
Sami Niku - 51706740146 (cropped) (1).jpg
Niku with the Montreal Canadiens in 2021
Born (1996-10-10) 10 October 1996 (age 27)
Haapavesi, Finland
Height 6 ft 0 in (183 cm)
Weight 176 lb (80 kg; 12 st 8 lb)
Position Defence
Shoots Left
NL team
Former teams		 EHC Kloten
Winnipeg Jets
Montreal Canadiens
Ilves Tampere
NHL draft 198th overall, 2015
Winnipeg Jets
Playing career 2013–present

Sami Niku (born 10 October 1996) is a Finnish professional ice hockey defenceman currently playing with EHC Kloten of the National League (NL). He was selected in the seventh round, 198th overall, by the Winnipeg Jets of the National Hockey League (NHL) in the 2015 NHL Entry Draft. [1]

Contents

Playing career

Niku made his Liiga debut playing with JYP Jyväskylä during the 2014–15 Liiga season. [2]

Following the 2016–17 season with JYP, having played his first full season in the Liiga in posting 27 points in 59 games, Niku agreed to a three-year, entry-level contract with the Winnipeg Jets on May 15, 2017. [3] He played most of the 2017–18 season with the Manitoba Moose, the Jets' American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate. He was called up by the Jets on April 1, 2018, and scored his first goal in his NHL debut in a Jets' win over the Montreal Canadiens on April 3. [4] At conclusion of the 2017–18 regular season, Niku was voted as the AHL's top defenseman, [5] as well as earning AHL First All-Star team [6] and the AHL All-Rookie honours. [7]

On 21 September 2021, Niku was bought out of his contract with the Jets. Three days later, he signed a one-year contract with the Montreal Canadiens. [8] A week later, in his first pre-season game with the team, Niku sustained a concussion after being hit from behind by Ottawa Senators player Josh Norris and was ruled out indefinitely. [9]

As a free agent from the Canadiens, Niku opted to return to Finland agreeing to re-join original club, JYP Jyväskylä of the Liiga, on a one-year contract for the 2022–23 season on 29 July 2022. [10]

International play

Medal record
Representing Flag of Finland.svg  Finland
Ice hockey
IIHF World U20 Championship
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 2016 Finland

Internationally, Niku played in the 2014 IIHF World U18 Championships, the 2015 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships, and the 2016 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships.

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

Regular season Playoffs
Season TeamLeagueGP G A Pts PIM GPGAPtsPIM
2011–12 JYP FIN U18171120—————
2012–13JYPFIN U1832130—————
2012–13JYP FIN U20 300882260002
2013–14JYPFIN U1810330—————
2013–14JYPFIN U20204101420—————
2013–14 JYP–Akatemia Mestis 3003316—————
2014–15 JYP–AkatemiaMestis39322252460554
2014–15 JYP Liiga 120116—————
2015–16 JYPLiiga3847112—————
2015–16 JYP–AkatemiaMestis70224—————
2016–17 JYPLiiga595222726151562
2017–18 Manitoba Moose AHL 761638543091232
2017–18 Winnipeg Jets NHL 11010—————
2018–19 Manitoba MooseAHL20391214—————
2018–19 Winnipeg JetsNHL301342—————
2019–20 Manitoba MooseAHL183111412—————
2019–20 Winnipeg JetsNHL1705512—————
2020–21 Winnipeg JetsNHL60008—————
2021–22 Montreal Canadiens NHL130662—————
2021–22 Laval Rocket AHL362111314150111110
Liiga totals1099303934151562
NHL totals672141624—————

International

YearTeamEventResultGPGAPtsPIM
2013 Finland U17 7th51124
2013 Finland IH18 5th41124
2014 Finland WJC18 6th51010
2015 Finland WJC 7th50000
2016 FinlandWJCGold medal icon.svg81236
Junior totals2744814

Awards and honors

AwardYear
AHL
Eddie Shore Award for Top Defensemen 2018 [5]
First All-Star team 2018 [6]
All-Rookie Team 2018 [7]

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References

  1. ↑ "The Winnipeg Jets draft Sami Niku and Matteo Gennaro in the seventh round". Arctic Ice Hockey. 27 June 2015.
  2. ↑ "Sami Niku player profile". jatkoaika.com (in Finnish). 3 April 2015. Retrieved 3 April 2015.
  3. ↑ "Jets sign Sami Niku to entry-level contract". Winnipeg Jets. 15 May 2017. Retrieved 15 May 2017.
  4. ↑ "Jets recall Sami Niku". NHL.com. 1 April 2018.
  5. 1 2 "NIKU VOTED AHL'S TOP DEFENSEMAN FOR 2017-18". American Hockey League . 10 April 2018. Retrieved 10 April 2018.
  6. 1 2 "2017-18 AHL FIRST, SECOND ALL-STAR TEAMS UNVEILED". theahl.com. 5 April 2018. Retrieved 6 April 2018.
  7. 1 2 "2017-18 AHL ALL-ROOKIE TEAM NAMED". theahl.com. 4 April 2018. Retrieved 6 April 2018.
  8. ↑ "One-year contract for defenseman Sami Niku". NHL.com. 24 September 2021.
  9. ↑ "Habs defender Sami Niku out indefinitely with concussion". CTV News . 2 October 2021.
  10. ↑ "It's true! Sami Niku is coming home" (in Finnish). JYP Jyväskylä. 29 July 2022. Retrieved 29 July 2022.
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