NHL Capsules: Sharks sign G Antti Niemi
SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) — The San Jose Sharks signed the goalie who helped knock them out of the playoffs, agreeing to a one-year, $2 million deal with Antti Niemi on Thursday.
Niemi joins fellow Finnish netminder Antero Niittymaki in San Jose as the replacements for longtime starter Evgeni Nabokov. Niittymaki signed a two-year, $4 million deal on the first day of free agency in July.
"We liked our goaltending as of yesterday. We like it even more today," general manager Doug Wilson said. "When a player like this comes available and he wants to come to your team, especially on a contract that we feel fits our salary structure and you don't have to give up anything to get him you just have to make it happen."
Niemi, 27, played all but one period of the Blackhawks' run to the Stanley Cup title, going 16-6 with a 2.63 goals-against average, .910 save percentage and two shutouts.
He stopped 129 of 136 shots in the Western Conference final to help Chicago sweep the Sharks but was allowed to leave as an unrestricted free agent last month because of salary cap concerns.
Wilson said Niemi's performance during that series was "etched in my brain." He made 44 saves to lead the Blackhawks to a 2-1 win in Game 1 in San Jose. He added 44 saves in a 3-2 overtime win in Game 3 as the Sharks never got into the series.
"He made some big saves in key times," Wilson said. "Our staff is very well aware of him. We took a look at a lot of footage not only in that series."
Wilson said Niemi and forwards Dustin Byfuglien and Dave Bolland were the biggest difference in the sweep that featured three tight games. Now Niemi and Byfuglien are among the eight players who have left Chicago since the team won its first Stanley Cup in 49 years.
Niemi was awarded a $2.75 million salary in arbitration this summer but Chicago decided to let him go instead of paying that amount. Chicago went out and signed veteran Marty Turco to a $1.3 million, one-year deal instead.
Niemi had other offers but decided to take the one-year with the Sharks.
"I though for me it would be really important to go to a really good team and also a really good organization," he said. "They really wanted me there too. It wasn't too hard a decision after all."
Niemi said the four games against Chicago next season will be the most "exciting" of the regular season. The teams play in San Jose on Nov. 24 and Dec. 11, and in Chicago on Dec. 30 and March 14.
The Sharks made it tougher for the Blackhawks to keep Niemi when they signed Chicago restricted free agent Niklas Hjalmarsson to a $14 million, four-year offer sheet in July. The Blackhawks matched the offer for the defenseman but that left them with less money available for Niemi.
Wilson said he was just looking to add players to help his team and the offer to Hjalmarsson was not part of a grand scheme to get Niemi on the open market.
"My job is to put the best team on the ice we can here in San Jose and operate within the rules like we did," Wilson said. "To connect the two, I'll leave that up to other people to speculate or make comments."
Nabokov was the Sharks' starting goalie for most of the past decade, averaging more than 60 starts a season since his first full year in 2000-01. But the Sharks decided not to try to re-sign him because Wilson believes high-priced starting goalies are unnecessary luxuries in the NHL's salary-cap era.
Now they have a pair of potential starting goalies in Niemi and Niittymaki, along with last year's backup, Thomas Greiss. Wilson said he has talked to both Niittymaki and Greiss and that coach Todd McLellan will decide how to split up the playing time.
Niittymaki spent last season with the Lightning after playing four full NHL seasons with the Philadelphia Flyers. He went 21-18-5 with a 2.87 goals-against average last year.
Niemi has played in just 42 regular-season games in his career but showed he can carry a team in the playoffs. He took over as Chicago's top goalie last year, going 26-7-4 with seven shutouts, a 2.25 goals-against average and .912 save percentage in 39 games.
Canadiens re-sign G Price to 2-year contract
MONTREAL (AP) — The Montreal Canadiens have re-signed restricted free-agent goalie Carey Price to a two-year contract.
The 22-year-old goaltender signed the new contract on Thursday, ending two months of negotiations with the Canadiens.
Price has spent his entire career in Montreal after being selected fifth overall in the 2005 NHL draft. He'll start the upcoming season as the team's No. 1 goalie. He split the duties last season with Jaroslav Halak, who has since been dealt to the St. Louis Blues.
Price was 13-20-5 in 41 games. Halak took over the starting job late in the season and helped the Canadiens reach the Eastern Conference finals.
Avalanche sign F Chris Stewart to 2-year deal
DENVER (AP) — The Colorado Avalanche remain committed to their youth movement, signing forward Chris Stewart to a two-year deal.
The 22-year-old Stewart led the team with 28 goals last season and finished with 64 points. The deal's terms weren't disclosed.
Colorado general manager Greg Sherman says the team is looking forward to seeing Stewart "build on what he started a year ago."
The Avalanche have made it a high priority to lock up some of their up-and-coming players, signing forward Brandon Yip and defenseman Kyle Quincey over the summer.
Colorado's young team slipped into the playoffs last season as the eighth seed in the Western Conference. The Avalanche were eliminated in the first round by the San Jose Sharks.
Pens' Staal slowed by foot infection
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Penguins forward Jordan Staal is expected to miss the start of training camp as he recovers from an infection to his right foot, which was severely injured during the NHL playoffs.
Staal's offseason preparation has been hampered by the infection, which developed after he twice had surgery to repair a lacerated tendon.
Staal was injured during a second-round game against Montreal on April 30, but returned after missing only two games. After Staal was hurt, the Penguins expected him to be out for weeks.
Penguins general manager Ray Shero believes Staal will be ready for the Oct. 7 opener against Philadelphia.
Predators owners buy financier's stake in team
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — The Nashville Predators owners have completed a purchase of the 26 percent stake in the team held by the bankrupt estate of a California financier jailed for fraud.
Preadators Holdings LLC chairman Tom Cigarran announced Thursday that the NHL and Metro Nashville Sports Authority had approved the transaction for the ownership shares previously held by William "Boots" Del Biaggio III and his Forecheck Investments, LLC.
The group of local owners now owns more than 95 percent of the franchise's ownership shares.
Del Biaggio pleaded guilty to fraud and was sentenced to more than eight years in prison last year after bilking investors and banks out of millions to fund his stake in the Predators. The former San Jose Sharks' minority owner joined Tennessee investors in buying the Predators for $193 million in 2007 from original owner Craig Leipold.
