Apparently, the San Jose Sharks felt that bringing in Antero Niittymaki wasn't enough to provide a solid goaltender for their team. So who they go out and get in replacement?
The guy who knocked them out of the playoffs the following year.
Yes, the San Jose Sharks have inked a deal with the former Blackhawk goaltender Antti Niemi on a reported 1-year, $2 million deal. A 1-year deal? Wait a minute. So they don't expect him to be there longer?
Hey, the Blackhawks didn't want him because of the salary cap, so they bring in former Dallas goaltender Marty Turco. He is one of eight players that was gone from the Stanley-Cup winning team. Now he's part of the team just trying to win that cup after being scrutinized by reporters and the press alike.
Niemi helps the Sharks in their goaltending situation. I don't think Niittymaki can carry this team all the way into the playoffs. After all, he's only got 73 minutes of playoff experience. Antti Niemi has a longer span of playoff experience.
He helps a team that lost Nabokov to a Russian team this past offseason and a solid defense that could use a little more help in goal feeling Niittymaki might not be the right fit for them. He has an excellent stance in goal, a more butterfly-like one that's able to stop even the hardest of shots by the opposing team.
So do we think the Sharks have the potential to go far now that Niemi has landed in San Jose? Well, I wouldn't think too far. They aren't the Blackhawks, so there's a chance they could get upset by many minor teams. But we'll see. If Niemi is as good in San Jose as he was in Chicago, the Sharks should have no problem winning a Stanley Cup this year.
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