Jyri Niemi
|
Birthday:
1990-06-15 |
Position:
D |
|
Eligible for draft:
2008 |
Shoots:
Left |
|
Drafted:
2008 |
Height:
6-2 |
|
Acquired:
3rd round (72nd overall), 2008 |
Weight:
192 lbs. |
Prospect Talent Score
Probability of Success
- D
History
2007-08: Jyri Niemi had a nice season in Saskatoon, putting up 34 points (14 goals) and was -1 with 57 PMs in 49 games. He had some issues with a bad wrist and a foot injury, which limited his appearances. He has had surgery on his hip, too, and this clearly contributed to his dropping a bit on draft day. Niemi was selected by the Islanders in the 3rd round (72nd overall) of the 2008 NHL Draft.
2008-09: Niemi returned to Saskatoon for his second WHL season and also represented Finland at the 2009 World Junior U-20 Championship. In 60 regular season games for the Blades he scored 7 goals with 25 assists and was +19 with 74 PMs. Three of his seven goals were scored on the power play. Niemi was one of the better players for Saskatoon in their first round playoff series loss to Lethbridge, scoring 1 goal with 6 assists with a +5 plus/minus and 10 PMs in six games. Niemi scored 2 goals with 1 assist and was +3 with 6 PMs in six games for seventh-place Finland at the WJC U-20 tournament.
2009-10: Niemi appeared in 50 of 72 games for Saskatoon in his third season with the Blades. He scored 8 goals and his 21 assists were third-most amongst Saskatoon defensemen. Niemi had 67 PMs and was +9 for a Blades' team that had the WHL's third-best record. In 10 playoff games he scored 2 goals and was +1 with 26 PMs. Niemi was the captain for Team Finland at the 2010 World Junior U-20 championship. In six games he scored 3 goals with 2 assist with 6 PMs but had a team-worst -8 plus/minus for the fifth-place Finns. In May 2010, the Islanders traded the rights to Niemi to the Rangers for a sixth round pick in the 2010 NHL Draft.
2010-11: Niemi played for the Connecticut Whale in his first pro season, seeing time as a winger as well as playing defense. Niemi skated in 46 of 80 games missing time for various injuries including a 15-game stretch in February and March. He had 3 goals with 6 assists and was -1 with 22 PMs as the Whale finished third in the AHL Atlantic Division. He did not see any action in Connecticut's first round playoff series with Portland.
2011-12: Niemi began his second pro season with Rangers' AHL affiliate Connecticut before being sent to ECHL Greenville in early November. In eight games with Connecticut he had 1 assist and was plus-one with 4 penalty minutes. In 52 ECHL games with Greenville he was second among Road Warriors defensemen in points (21) and penalty minutes (82) finishing plus-3. In the three-game playoff series against the Florida Everblades he had 1 assist and was plus-one with 2 penalty minutes.
Talent Analysis
Niemi has a very good shot and generally plays a two-way game along the blueline.
