islesinfo:
2008-09 Highlights
* Named third star in
3-0 loss vs. Red Deer Rebels December 13, 2008
* Named third star with a goal (PP) in 7-3 win at Moose
Jaw Warriors December 17, 2008
* Named first star with a goal (GW) in 3-1 win at
Kootenay Ice January 18, 2009
* Named first star with a goal (PP) & an assist in
8-1 win vs. Red Deer Rebels February 6, 2009
Playoffs
* Named first star
with a goal (GW) & an assist in 5-1 win vs.
Lethbridge Hurricanes March 20, 2009 (G1)
2007-08 Highlights
* Named first star
with a goal & 2 assists in 5-4 win vs. Moose Jaw
Warriors September 26, 2007
* Named second star with 2 goals (PP & SH) in 4-3 OT
loss at Kootenay Ice September 30, 2007
* Named third star with a goal (PP) & an assist in
3-2 loss at Spokane Chiefs October 19, 2007
* Named third star in 3-0 loss vs. Medicine Hat Tigers
January 4, 2008
* Named second star with 2 assists in 3-1 win at Red
Deer Rebels February 15, 2008
* Named first star with 2 goals (2PP) in 4-2 win vs.
Regina Pats February 23, 2008
* Named third star with a goal in 7-4 loss vs.
Lethbridge Hurricanes February 26, 2008
Emotions in motion
Blades head to Lethbridge hoping to rekindle fire of
Game 1
by Cory Wolfe, the starphoenix, March 24, 2009
Saskatoon Blades
defenceman Jyri Niemi wears his emotions on his
sleeve.
He celebrates goals
like he's the next contestant on The Price Is Right. And
the ultra-competitive Finn rebuts any opponent that
utters a disparaging word.
"I hate
losing," Niemi said Monday. "It doesn't matter
if it's playing street hockey with my brothers and my
neighbours -- I'm still going to beat them 26-0 even if
they start crying.
"I just want to
win. I absolutely hate losing."
Admittedly, Niemi's
emotions went overboard last Friday when he delivered a
one-finger salute to the Lethbridge Hurricanes' bench
during Game 1 of the WHL Eastern Conference
quarter-finals. He made the gesture after being
cross-checked in the head by Hurricanes forward Kyle
Beach.
Both players were
suspended for Saturday's Game 2, a 5-2 Lethbridge
victory that evened the best-of-seven series 1-1.
"It was
frustrating to sit in the stands and watch because
there's nothing you can do," said Niemi. "I'm
looking forward to getting back in the lineup and
helping the team the best way I can."
The series resumes
tonight in Lethbridge, and Saskatoon aims to replicate
the hard-working style that produced a 5-1 victory in
Game 1.
Niemi's return should
boost the Blades' intensity level and their special
teams. Saskatoon went 0-for-8 on the power play
Saturday, and often struggled just to get set up in the
Lethbridge zone. Besides providing a big shot from the
point, Niemi confidently leads the rush.
"We all know what
we have to do," said the 18-year-old defenceman.
"I know what my responsibilities are and everybody
else knows their responsibilities, too. We just have to
make sure we're fulfilling those. We're excited. We know
we're the best road team in the league and we have to
keep that going like we did in the regular season."
WHL suspends Blade,
'Cane
by Cory Wolfe, the starphoenix, March 21, 2009
Lethbridge Hurricanes forward Kyle Beach and
Saskatoon Blades defenceman Jyri Niemi have each been
suspended one game as a result of their actions in
Friday’s WHL playoff game at Credit Union Centre.
With 4:17 left in regulation, Beach cross-checked
Niemi to the head during a post-whistle battle in front
of the Blades’ net. Beach was assessed a major penalty
for cross-checking and a game misconduct.
Niemi fell to the ice and appeared woozy as trainer
Steve Hildebrand attended to him. The defenceman
eventually got to his feet and skated off, but he
directed an inappropriate hand gesture to the
Hurricanes’ bench.
Beach and Niemi will sit out tonight’s second game
of the best-of-seven series (7 p.m., Credit Union
Centre). Saskatoon leads the Eastern Conference
quarter-final 1-0 after Friday’s 5-1 victory.
“(Blades defencemen Teigan) Zahn and Niemi both
came to me,” Beach said after the game. “I put my
hands up to protect myself. I thought I got him with the
glove. I guess it was a cross-check. I don’t know how
hard it was. I’ll have to wait until I see it on
tape.”
Beach was suspended a total of six games for two
separate incidents during the regular season.
He received a three-game sentence for inciting a
third-period brawl Feb. 21 in Medicine Hat. The Medicine
Hat News reported that Beach “jumped Tiger captain
Brennan Bosch from behind and then punched away as
fights broke out all over the ice.”
Beach was previously suspended three games for
shooting a puck into the crowd following a 5-3 loss Jan.
24 in Red Deer.
Niemi king of the
one-timers
by Cory Wolfe, the starphoenix, February 10, 2009
Sometimes Jyri
Niemi's big shot gets him into trouble.
During a shooting
drill last season, the Saskatoon Blades defenceman
unloaded a blast that stung goaltender Braden Holtby in
the face -- a definite no-no in practice.
"He took a
one-timer from the corner of the slot and it went right
off my chin," Holtby recalled Monday. "It
actually cracked my mask down the middle. I was pretty
fired up about that. I said sorry after because I went a
little crazy."
Indeed, Holtby
appeared to be channeling Billy Smith or Ron Hextall.
When Niemi went to see if Holtby was OK, the goaltender
chased him.
"He hit me with
his blocker," said Niemi, still a little sheepish.
"Yeah, he was pretty mad."
Niemi is still
learning how to harness the raw power of a shot that
ranks among the hardest in junior hockey. He took the
WHL by storm last season, firing 14 goals in 49 games
and also winning the hardest shot competition at the Top
Prospects Game in Edmonton.
The 18-year-old Finn
has drawn considerably more attention from opponents
this season. With more defenders in his face, he
registered just two goals in the first half. However,
Niemi has shown signs of adjusting, producing four goals
since he returned from the world junior tournament.
"His shot is one
of his strengths and he has to try to use it as much as
he can," said Blades coach-GM Lorne Molleken, whose
team faces the Medicine Hat Tigers tonight at Credit
Union Centre. "If a guy is right on him, he has to
try to change angles and get a wrist shot off because
he's got a good wrist shot, too. But the biggest thing
with Jyri is his ability to one-time the puck. You watch
other players and they'll fan on it because you have to
have good timing.
"When it's there,
it's a potent, potent weapon."
That was evident last
Friday when Niemi wired a cross-ice feed past Red Deer
Rebels goaltender Darcy Kuemper. Quick puck movement is
key to opening shooting lanes, but Molleken has also
told his master blaster to fire away to create room for
himself.
"When teams are
blocking shots, just keep shooting," said Molleken.
"Pretty soon they won't get in your way unless a
guy has tremendous courage."
Calgary Hitmen
defender Alex Plante is one such character. Earlier this
season, Plante blocked three straight Niemi slappers --
and was in obvious pain -- before a fourth blast found
the top corner of the net.
Although the end
result was a goal, Niemi is working on get his shots
through the first time.
"I think I had a
lot more shots blocked last year than I do now,"
said Niemi, "so it's getting there."
 |
Isles
Select D Jyri Niemi 72nd Overall |
| June 20,
2008:
D Jyri Niemi
Born: June 15, 1990, Tampere, FIN
2007-08: Saskatoon (WHL)
Shoots: Left
CSS: 25th overall
|
From THN:
Ranking 44th
Even though Niemi plays a good all-round game, his
Sheldon Souray-like slapshot is what has gained him the most notoriety
during his one season in the WHL.
In fact, it resulted in him winning the hardest shot at
this year's Top Prospects Game with a blast of 97 miles per hour.
"That's his calling card," a scout said.
"He definitely has an NHL boomer from the point."
Niemi also has a big frame to go along with his big shot
and was not intimidated by playing in the WHL. Niemi's shot has him
pigeonholed as a power play specialist, but he improved his all-round
play.
Niemi missed a month with a jammed wrist.
On the power play, Niemi likes to move to the middle of
the offensive zone and load up for a one-timer. Teammates and opponents
alike have come to fear it. Niemi could be a little more physical and
mean.
NHL
Director of Central Scouting, E.J. McGuire
Strengths:
"Jyri is adjusting well to the North American game. He has good poise
and stickhandling ability from the back end. He quarterbacks the
power-play, with a heavy shot from the point. He has an offensive flare to
his game and is an entertaining player to watch."
Areas
to improve: "More dependability in the defensive zone will
guarantee that he projects into a number three or four
defenseman in the League, with the potential to be a one-two
defenseman."
- Finished first among WHL
rookie defensemen with 14 goals and third with 34 points (14-20-34).
- He patterns his game after
Edmonton Oilers defensemen Joni Pitkanen and Sheldon Souray -"Pitkanen,
because he's good offensively and Souray because of his shot".
- He started skating at the
age of three when his dad took him to an outdoor rink and he credits both
his parents for having the biggest influence on his career -
"they've been supporting me ever since I started".
ISS: Ranking 51st
Red Line:
Niemi missed all of November with a severely jammed wrist, but has
returned to the lineup in early December. His booming shot from the point
and overall hockey sense have been a pleasant surprise. Red Line
especially likes the way he thinks the game — he plays with a lot of
confidence and his decisions are quick.
Niemi making the best choices
Adam Kimelman , NHL.com (June 18, 2008)
Jyri Niemi could have stayed with the HPK team in Finland, but the 6-foot-1, 197-pound Saskatoon Blades defenseman decided to take a different developmental path.
“I wanted to see how good I really am,” Niemi told NHL.com. “I hear the best players play in the WHL. I have a friend who played in Red Deer, and he told me this is the best league you can go and play in.”
So Niemi packed his bags and left his home and family in Hameenkyro, Finland, for Saskatoon and the Western Hockey League. It was a successful journey, to say the least.
Niemi led WHL rookie defensemen with 14 goals, and was third with 34 points, in addition to
winning the hardest-shot competition at the CHL Top Prospects Game. He also earned the No. 25 ranking among North American skaters from NHL Central Scouting. Not bad for someone who’s only been a defenseman for about four years.
"I had speed and I could skate forwards and backwards,” Niemi said. “So, when I was 13 or 14, my coach told me that I have to be a defenseman. The first time that I heard that, I just left the rink and I said, 'I'm never going to play with you again.' I was so mad. I loved scoring goals, and when you're on defense, you have to defend."
While it wasn’t a transition he didn’t particularly enjoy, it’s one that has gone smoothly.
"Jyri is adjusting well to the North American game,” said NHL Director of Central Scouting E.J. McGuire. “He has good poise and stickhandling ability from the back end. He quarterbacks the power play, with a heavy shot from the point. He has an offensive flair to his game and is an entertaining player to watch.
"More dependability in the defensive zone will guarantee that he projects into a No. 3 or 4 defenseman in the League, with the potential to be a 1-2 defenseman."
Niemi said the transition from Finland to the WHL wasn’t difficult and his English skills already were good, but there were some on-ice differences.
“Some things took a while, but it wasn’t that big of a deal for me,” Niemi told NHL.com. “It was just some game stuff that I had to get used to. Mostly defending. In Finland we defend man against man, but here we defend zone. That was the biggest adjustment for me.
“There is so much more speed over here than in Finland. The physical play is a lot harder than Finland. The players are bigger, stronger, faster. The whole league is really different than the league back home.”
During his meetings with teams at the NHL Scouting Combine, Niemi said he received praise for his willingness to travel to North America in his draft year.
“There aren’t that many players from Europe willing to come over here and play here,” Niemi said. “I think they appreciate that I came over here. They said they thought it was a great decision for me to come over here and play in the WHL.”
Niemi has high draft hopes
Cory Wolfe, The Saskatoon Star Phoenix (June 17, 2008)
In Finland, vowels are as plentiful as saunas.
Consider that the country's best curler is named Markku Uusipaavalniemi and the top tier of Finnish composers includes Saariaho and Rautavaara.
By those standards, Jyri Niemi (pronounced nee-EM-ee) isn't much of a tongue-twister. Saskatoon Blades coach-GM Lorne Molleken is still figuring out how to pronounce his star defenceman's name, though.
"There was a Finnish scout in the coaches' room and Lorne wanted me to meet him," Niemi said Monday via cellphone from Lahti, Finland. "(Assistant coach) Dave (Struch) was there, too. Lorne introduced me and said, 'OK, this is Jyri Neemee-neemee.'
"Dave started laughing and I was laughing. Lorne blushed red."
Niemi is still far from being a household name, but he'll take a step toward increased celebrity this weekend when NHL teams gather in Ottawa for the annual entry draft. Central Scouting ranks the 6-foot-2 defenceman 25th among players who competed in North American leagues last season. He's likely to be picked late in the first round or early in the second.
TSN will broadcast the first round in prime time Friday. The remainder of the draft runs Saturday.
"I hope it's as early as possible, but we'll see," said Niemi, who turned 18 Sunday. "When I first came over (last year), I just wanted to be drafted. I didn't care if it was seventh round, sixth round -- whatever. When I think about it now, I really didn't realize how well I did. My friends come over and say, 'You had a great year.' I just say, 'Yeah, yeah, whatever.' But it feels nice."
The Blades picked Niemi 13th overall in the Canadian Hockey League import draft. He got off to a solid start with 10 points in his first 12 games, but he missed the next 17 with a wonky wrist. A foot injury also hobbled Niemi, who played only 49 of 72 games.
"He was frustrated at times," said Niemi's agent, Craig Oster, "and I know the National Hockey League scouting community was frustrated at times because it wasn't always easy to view Jyri -- not knowing when he was coming back or if he'd be in the lineup.
"He hasn't been viewed as many times as teams would like for a high-end prospect and his draft position might be a little lower than it would be if Jyri had been healthy all year and able to participate fully."
Niemi had minor surgery on his left hip when he returned to Finland in April. He resumed skating this month and is currently helping out at a hockey school. He's expected to be in top form by July.
"I haven't had any problems with (the hip), but I have to keep cool and I can't fool around," said Niemi. "It's summer, so I want to play tennis, I want to run, I want to do everything. But I can't, so that kind of sucks."
Regardless of his injury troubles, Niemi earned a reputation for solid two-way play and a big shot. During January's Top Prospects festivities in Edmonton, he won the hardest shot competition with back-to-back blasts of 97 miles per hour. He ranked sixth among WHL defencemen with 14 goals.
"I really think," said Oster, "that Jyri is going to be one of these players, in a year or two, that we look back at and say, 'Boy, that was a good draft pick.' "
Niemi won't be in Ottawa to hear his name called. He won't even be plugged into the Internet.
"I will be at my summer house, so I won't be able to see it," he said. "But one of my friends will call me if they see something."
That call might come in the middle of the night. The time difference between Saskatoon and Lahti is nine hours.
Finnish kid has quite a shot
by Derek Van Diest, Winnipeg Sun, January 23, 2008
Jyri Niemi spent a lot of time working on
his shot in the off-season and last night it paid off, unloading a pair of
bombs to win the hardest shot competition at the Home hardware CHL Top
Prospects skills competition.
The 18-year-old native of Hameenkyro, Finland,
registered 97 miles per hour on both his attempts to take the honours.
"I knew I could shoot the puck," Niemi
said. "Before I left, (teammate) Colton Gillies said he expected me
to win this, so this is for him."
Niemi, in his first year with the Saskatoon
Blades, has nine goals and 10 assists in 29 games. He was Saskatoon's
first pick - 13th overall - in last year's CHL Import Draft.
"I play on the point on the power
play," Niemi said. "I've done it all season long and throughout
my career so it's no big deal. I work hard in the summer on my shot."
Niemi, who will play for Team Red in tonight's
top prospect game is ranked 29th among draft-eligible players currently in
North America.
Last night his team cruised to an easy 17-9 win
in the skills competition, that, along with hardest shot, also included a
puck relay, a fastest skater competition, shooting accuracy, penalty-shot
relay and a three-on-three scrimmage.
Brandon McMillan of the Kelowna Rockets won the
fastest skater event, clocking in at a time of 13.897 seconds.
"It was a great experience," McMillan
said. "I had a great time. I almost had a little slip in the corner,
but I was trying to get the crossovers going, move my feet and it worked
out well."
FAST FINNISH
Blades' Niemi looks to impress at this week's Top Prospects game
Cory Wolfe, Saskatoon StarPhoenix (January 22, 2008)
Jyri Niemi planned to become the next great Finnish finisher.
Inspired by the scoring prowess of Jari Kurri, he dreamed of one day riding shotgun with Raimo Helminen, a skilled set-up man known as "the Finnish Gretzky."
Niemi might still be on that path if a former coach hadn't created a detour.
"I had speed and I could skate forwards and backwards, so when I was 13 or 14, my coach told me that I have to be a defenceman," says Niemi, who now plays that position for the Saskatoon Blades. "The first time that I heard that, I just left the rink and I said, 'I'm never going to play with you again.' I was so mad. I loved scoring goals and when you're on defence, you have to defend."
Despite his initial reservations, Niemi has found a way to blend offensive aspirations with sound defensive play. His abilities have earned him a trip to Edmonton for the Top Prospects festivities. Tonight's skills competition sets the stage for Wednesday's showcase game between 40 of junior hockey's top NHL prospects.
"We could tell the first time we saw him, when he came off the airplane, that he was a real mature young guy," says Blades coach-GM Lorne Molleken, who selected Niemi 13th overall during last June's Canadian Hockey League import draft. "As a 17-year-old, he's done more than we expected him to do, and as a result, NHL people are here every night to watch him."
The NHL's Central Scouting Service ranks Niemi 29th among skaters competing in North American leagues. He has nine goals and 10 assists in 29 starts with the Blades. If not for some injury trouble -- he missed 17 games with a wrist injury and the last two due to a groin pull -- Niemi might very well be leading his team in goals.
"I haven't seen a young guy one-time the puck like him for a long time," says Molleken. "He adds a real dimension to our power play and he picks his spots as far as joining the rush. He's also done a real good job defensively."
The 6-foot-3 Finn is far from being a one-trick pony, but he is distinguished by his powerful shot. Growing up in Hameenkyro, Niemi spent up to six hours per day refining his cannon. His father, Kalevi, twice replaced the garage door.
"The only way to score goals is to shoot the puck," Niemi says matter-of-factly. "If you have a good shot, you score more goals."
Niemi's usually stone-faced expression cracks when his shot finds twine. He spreads his arms, looks skyward and unleashes a yell. Niemi didn't have much chance to celebrate last season when he was the youngest player in Finland's junior A league.
"I really had to earn my ice time," says Niemi, who finished with six goals and three assists in 35 regular-season games. "The start of the season was hard for me. I didn't play much."
Given Niemi's inexperience, his agent cautioned against expecting too much too fast.
"I don't think he'll come in and be a huge impact player, just because he's 17 and there aren't many 17-year-olds that are impact players, whether they're from Canada or Europe," agent Scott Oster told The StarPhoenix after the Blades drafted Niemi. "Yet as he matures and understands the North American style of play, I think he can be a very, very good player."
Niemi is ahead of schedule and he doesn't plan to slow down.
"When you play well, you start to expect more," says Niemi. "The Top Prospects Game is a great thing and now I expect more."
BLADES HAVE STRONG FINNISH IN IMPORT DRAFT
Cory Wolfe, Saskatoon Star Phoenix (June 28, 2007)
Finnish defenseman Jyri Niemi didn't break a sweat until after Wednesday's Canadian Hockey League import draft.
The Saskatoon Blades picked him 13th overall and he celebrated in true Finnish style.
"We are having a sauna night," Niemi declared from Lahti, Finland, where he is teaching hockey school.
Niemi, 17, played junior in Finland last season with HPK Hameenlinna. The 6-foot-3, 200-pound skater is eligible for next year's NHL draft.
"He's a big, strong kid who has all kinds of potential and we look forward to having him," said Blades coach-GM Lorne Molleken.
With their second-round pick, 66th overall, the Blades chose Slovakian forward Robert Brandis. The 6-foot-1 winger turns 19 in September.
Molleken and his staff focused much of their pre-draft efforts on Finland, though. Blades scout Don Toporowski did some networking through his son, Shayne, who has played the past four seasons in Finland. Those connections led the Blades to Niemi.
Craig Oster, Niemi's Toronto-based agent, said his client has committed to joining the Blades later this summer. First, Niemi will represent Finland at the Ivan Hlinka Memorial (formerly the Junior World Cup) from Aug. 14-18 in the Czech Republic and Slovakia.
"I know Jyri well because we've represented him for almost two years," said Oster. "He's an outstanding young man and a really good character guy. His English is excellent already.
"He's had it in his mind for over a year now that he wanted to come over and play junior."
Niemi instantly becomes one of the biggest defencemen on the Blades' roster. Mitch Berg, 16, also stands 6-foot-3.
"He's a mobile guy for somebody his size and he makes really smart decisions with the puck," said Oster. "He doesn't do anything fancy and I don't expect him to be an overly prolific offensive guy, but he shoots the puck well and makes strong decisions."
In 35 regular-season games with Hameenlinna, Niemi registered six goals, three assists and 72 penalty minutes. He added four points and 14 penalty minutes in eight playoff games.
"I'm a defenceman who likes to keep the puck, but still play a physical game," said Niemi.
In that sense, he's not unlike some of his countrymen. His favourite players include Pittsburgh Penguins agitator Jarkko Ruutu and former NHLer Raimo Helminen, who remains a popular player in Finland's top pro league.
Oster cautioned that Niemi will need time to adjust to his new hockey hangout.
"I don't think he'll come in next year and be a huge impact player, just because he's 17 and there aren't many 17-year-olds that are impact players, whether they're from Canada or Europe," said Oster. "Yet as he matures and understands the North American style of play, I think he can be a very, very good player."
Niemi is the first Finn to be drafted by the Blades since 1997, when Petja Pietilainen joined the club. Pietilainen played two seasons with Saskatoon.
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