Report: Sharks' Niemi 'on the table' in trade discussions
It's not often that a team in a playoff spot is open to trading its number one goalie.
That appears to be the case in San Jose, as the Sharks are believed to be considering moving soon-to-be unrestricted free agent Antti Niemi prior to the March 2 deadline, according to Pierre LeBrun of ESPN.
LeBrun reported the following on Winnipeg’s TSN 1290 on Monday:
(The Sharks) continue to get younger. If you look at their lineup, it’s the youngest it has been in a long time. And that will continue to the point where I was talking to a team today that says that they were told again by San Jose that Antti Niemi is on the table.
So here’s a team that’s in a playoff spot, albeit by a slim margin; but, because Niemi is a pending UFA, the Sharks are taking calls on him.
Niemi has started the majority of San Jose's games, posting a record of 23-14-7 with a .911 save percentage.
Backup Alex Stalock, on the books through next season, hasn't exactly challenged for the job. In 14 starts, his record is 5-6-1, with a .903 save percentage.
The Sharks sit in the second wild-card spot out West, with Los Angeles and Calgary hot on their tails. As such, time is running out in terms of whether they decide to be buyers or sellers leading up to the trade deadline.
- With h/t to Nichols On Hockey