Niittymaki takes Emery's job -- in Russia

by Travis Hughes on Jul 8, 2009 4:57 PM EDT in News Comment 13 comments

A week after hitting the free agent market, former Flyers goalie Antero Niittymaki has opted to head to Russia. Ironically, he will suit up for Atlant Moscow Oblast, the former team of Ray Emery -- one of the players who forced him out of Philadelphia.

Niittymaki had been with the orange and black for six seasons, beginning in 2003. In 2004/05, he led the Phantoms to the AHL's Calder Cup championship during the NHL lockout. He was named playoff MVP that year as well. At the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, Italy, Niittymaki led Finland to the silver medal while earning Tournament MVP honors.

As a Flyer, he recieved many chances to take the starting position during his four full NHL seasons. At each crossroads, he faltered and ultimately lost the job. His inconsistency is the primary reason the Flyers didn't opt to re-sign him this offseason.

His counterpart from this past season, Martin Biron, is also still without a team this offseason for the same reason the Flyers passed on him -- money. Teams across the NHL believe Biron is asking for too much money, and he will likely have to make big concessions if he wants to land an NHL job. Several teams are still without two goaltenders, including San Jose and Colorado.

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Wow. Would’ve thought he’d go to Finland!

by AshburnAlley on Jul 8, 2009 6:32 PM EDT reply actions

I’m with you, actually… Perhaps he thinks Emery’s team in Russia will give him a better chance at getting back to NHL next year? Or maybe he had trouble finding a team in Finland that would pay him adequately, I don’t know. Considering the circumstances, I think Emery may have made more in Russia last year than most people make in the Finnish leagues. That would however, depend on whether or not the reports I heard of his Russian salary were true.

by DragonGirl0583 on Jul 8, 2009 6:35 PM EDT up reply actions

You mean the tax rate or exchange rate or something of that nature?

I mean the positives are: playing time to get Olympic practice in, starting, salary. Downsides? It’s the KHL…in Russia, and a new league at that.

by AshburnAlley on Jul 8, 2009 7:47 PM EDT up reply actions

The competition is generally better in Russia than in Finland… especially when you look at how many NHL players have decided to head over there and play in the KHL. When your goal is to be an NHL starter, it makes sense to go to the league with the best competition, and it seems like a lot of people believe that the KHL is it.

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by Travis Hughes on Jul 8, 2009 7:54 PM EDT up reply actions

Which is exactly what Russia was trying to do. Remember a few years ago all that talk of “rivaling” the NHL? The thinking was that after the lockout, Russia would be able to compete financially and talent-wise. I don’t think it’s an exaggeration to say that the KHL is becoming a AAAA-type of league – players on the cusp of the NHL, on the downside of their careers, career minor leaguers, and young players looking for an opportunity.

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by Geoff Detweiler on Jul 8, 2009 8:56 PM EDT up reply actions

I know it’s a common perception (don’t know if it is around these parts but it is on boards I’ve been on) that Niittymaki had chances to be a starter and failed. I don’t think Niitty ever really got as fair a shake at the starter spot as people say. He’d always have that week or two where he was just freaking on, he was brilliant. Then the other guy would somehow come back and also play good, and that somehow defaulted Niitty back to the backup role. Then Niitty would lose his confidence or have one bad game and people would go “SEE HE’LL NEVER BE THE STARTER.” I now confidence is something you need to be a starter, but can you blame the guy? Injuries didn’t help either of course but I just feel like Niitty was a good opportunity that got mishandled.

by SJPhillyVT on Jul 8, 2009 8:02 PM EDT reply actions

I agree.

He was definitely given opportunities to play, but he was never given a fair shot at the starter’s role. His one year as a starter was the train wreck season, and then he was Biron’s backup. I don’t think starting 52 games over the past two years qualifies as being given a chance as a starter, but I see why people were frustrated with his play. It’s tough to steal a job from somebody, but it happens all the time. Niity played well, but he was never able to play well enough to become the #1. I wish him nothing but the best in Russia.

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by Geoff Detweiler on Jul 8, 2009 9:05 PM EDT up reply actions

I agree. I think his confidence was never really there. How could it be when you’re the starter for a couple games, then you’re benched while the other guy is the starter for a couple games, then he’s benched and you’re back in the action over and over all season? While he was inconsistent, I think Nitty was better than Biron. Nittys problem was always a day to day thing whereas with Biron the guy could be red hot for 2 periods and then look asleep while beach balls hit the back of the net. Maybe this move to the KHL and being the team’s starter will give him the confidence he needs. Best of luck to him. I liked him.

On a similar note it’s a joke to think think San Jose or Colorado will sign Biron. I don’t know what he’s asking, but based on his performance…no. Those teams want to contend and while Biron is probably a very nice guy he just doesn’t have what it takes to make it to the finals. Yes, we got to the ECF with him but believe me it was not due to his spectacular play. That’s like saying Lupul was this amazing goal scorer because he scored the winning goal against Washington. Sorry, but performance is determined by ongoing work, not by one timers and, in Biron’s case, being in the right spot at the right time. If he was so good we wouldn’t have barely made it to the playoffs under him. Whatever though. Best of luck to him too wherever he goes. I think our team has improved in goal this off season and with the other recent additions we’re looking good for a parade next June.

by Kanayd on Jul 8, 2009 11:28 PM EDT up reply actions

I think this was more about Niitty’s hips than inconsistency… his test results were not favorable. I’ve always liked him as well and hope he’s successful in Russia.

As for Biron, his level of play against the Caps and Habs in the 07-08 playoffs cannot be overstated, in my opinion. He stole games for us. If ‘barely made it to the playoffs’ is referring to 07-08, that ten game losing streak (and accompanying four game one) is why we barely made it to the playoffs, and you can’t blame something like that on one player. Plus, Biron was a major part of the last-10-game rally (including the back-to-back regular season ending shutouts against Devils and Pens). It was said in a comment here a number of months ago that the 07-08 team was better in-game than on paper, and that the 08-09 team was better on paper than in-game, and I couldn’t agree more. If you’re referring to 08-09 though as having barely made the playoffs, Biron certainly played well down the stretch this year. The rest of the team looked to be on vacation. Not Biron’s fault.

I’m no Biron-backer though. I’m more than fine with him leaving, if the only thing he would accept was a Brodeur-type contract, and I’m happy with Emery/Boucher.

(As a side note somewhat related to your comment about Lupul, as far as I’m concerned for the rest of my life, Joe Blanton is an amazing hitter; very different situations of course.)

by Ben Feldman on Jul 9, 2009 12:39 AM EDT up reply actions

Whatever you say bout Biron

he put up good #s, so you can’t really get all that mad at him. His save % was pretty good, posted a great GVT — if he weren’t asking for $5m a year, I firmly believe the Flyers would have wanted to resign him. He is a guy that can win a cup — he put up no worse #s than Marc-Andre Fleury, after all.

by Alon on Jul 9, 2009 1:58 AM EDT up reply actions

Biron wasn’t the goalie who was going to carry the team, but in the playoffs, he wasn’t a negative either. His regular seasons here were erratic at best, but both playoff performances were definitely better than what he showed in the regular season. And isn’t that when you want a player to perform their best? Biron was NOT the problem in either playoff exit.

It was definitely time for a change though.

by SJPhillyVT on Jul 9, 2009 11:26 AM EDT up reply actions

Neither the problem nor the solution

Biron was not the kind of goalie who could consistently steal playoff series for you. He stole the Montreal series, as well as Game 7 against Washington. I agree that he was not the problem in our playoff exits, but he was not the solution either.

Most people I’ve talked to about this say the same thing: “Biron didn’t lose the series (against Pittsburgh) for us.” True, but he didn’t WIN it for us either. The biggest difference in that series was Fleury. Obviously, other Pens players did well, but Fleury absolutely stole games 2 and 4 and that was the difference. If not for him we likely would have won in 6.

In short, I felt that Biron’s hot streaks in the playoffs matched his hot streaks in the regular season – totally ON for 2-3 weeks, then crashing back to Earth.

Do you see what happens when you find a stranger in the Alps?

by mikefive on Jul 9, 2009 2:25 PM EDT up reply actions

niitty to tampa?

The most recent rumor has him signing a deal with the Lightning, and voiding his KHL contract. Anyone else hear this?

by penguinsfan on Jul 9, 2009 4:58 PM EDT reply actions

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