Annti Niemi is pounding the pavement looking for a goaltending job. This development is old news but I felt this merits a comment. Hockey must be a tough business. This position is possibly the most important for a team in the playoffs. The big question for the 'Hawks going into the playoffs was who would start in goal in the playoffs, Niemi or Huet. Niemi finished strong in the regular season to earn the shot and he ran with it.
I am not going to spout statistics here. I am giving my gut reaction. I thought Niemi was great in the playoffs, possibly winning a game or two by himself. He made saves that took away goals. He came up huge in big situatons. He was hard to score on close in, and made key saves against the Flyers in the 6th game. A goal might have changed the complexion of the game, but Niemi came through. Now he is a victim of the "Hawks messed up salary cap.
Niemi won a $2.75 million ruling in arbitration and the Hawks wouldn't pay it. Lord, a man helps you win the Stanley Cup, which brought in millons of dollars in incidentals to the team. The payments to the team in percentages for sold hockey jerseys could have paid for Niemi's salary. I know hockey is a tough business and more players are making more money than ever before. I don't know how you can let your Stanley Cup goalie go. You have to find a way to pay him.
The fact that the Hawks apparently couldn't find a way or decided not to pay him speaks volumes about what previous management did to get the team in this kind of pickle. The Hawks signed Marty Turco, a veteran, to the team. He is expected to start. Niemi is a younger goalie with talent on the upside. He could get even better than how he played in the playoffs, and he was outstanding then. In fact, he was considered by Hawks fans as a candidate for Conn Symthe (MVP) Award in the post-season. What would that say, if he won the award? Oh, we can't afford to keep him?
The Blackhawks could have done better here. Ask someone to take a small cut, find the money. Get a better TV deal.
Don't throw your goalie out on the street.
