The Sharks will not have goaltender Antti Niemi’s primary negotiating rights before July 1st.
Stars acquire rights to pending UFA Antti Niemi for pick 193
— Pierre LeBrun (@Real_ESPNLeBrun) June 27, 2015
It appeared clear to San Jose that Niemi would not be coming back as back-up Alex Stalock was the only goalie with the big club signed through next season after the Sharks missed the playoffs for the first time in a decade. This year, the 31-year old struggled along with his team, posting a 31-23-7 record with a 2.59 GAA and a .914 save percentage. During his tenure with the Sharks, Niemi posted a career average of a 2.40 GAA and .917 save percentage.
With this deal, it appears to be the final nail in the coffin of Niemi’s career in San Jose. If Dallas can get him signed on or before July 1st, it will be interesting to see what happens with current starter Kari Lehtonen.
For the Sharks, at the moment their starting goaltender is Stalock, who had a tough season as the back-up. A November surgery didn’t help his cause, as he finished with an 8-9-2 record with a 2.62 GAA and a .902 save percentage. It is likely General Manager Doug Wilson will make a move for a starter, but with new head coach Peter DeBoer and the Sharks entering a possible rebuilding situation, Stalock could have more of an opportunity.
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