In the EHT home tournament in Tampere, JYP and SM league defensive star Sami Niku will give Leijonien’s coaching a demonstration for next spring’s World Championships in Prague.
Timo Uusitalo,
Jussi Saarinen
The top defenseman of the domestic hockey league Sami Niku27, exudes self-confidence on the eve of the EHT home tournament to be played in Tampere.
The goals of the defender, who is skilled on the puck, have already been set at the national team level for next spring’s World Championships, which will be played in Prague and Ostrava from the 10th to the 26th. May.
– Of course I’m hungry, since I’ve never played in an adult WC tournament. The goal is that I would be there at some point. However, here we go one day and one week at a time. Nothing has been marked for the spring, although it (the WC tournament) is definitely in mind.
Leijon and Niku have three interesting and high-quality EHT matches ahead of them, where they will face Switzerland, the Czech Republic, and Sweden on Father’s Day on Sunday.
Thu 9.11.
Switzerland–Finland at 18:30
Sweden–Czech Republic at 20:00 (played in Sweden, Växjö)
Sat 11.11.
Sweden–Switzerland at 1 p.m
Finland–Czech Republic at 5 p.m
Sun 12.11.
Czech Republic–Switzerland at 1 p.m
Finland–Sweden at 5 p.m
– There is at least a hard pace and struggle to be expected. I believe that we will see very hard and entertaining games, Niku gets excited about the upcoming challenges before his eyes.
The 185-centimeter and 88-kilogram defender from Jyväskylä admits that the dream fall has boosted his confidence in his own abilities.
– EHT matches are really tough games. For me, these are good metrics. You can see where it’s going. I don’t see a bigger difference in my own playing compared to the club team, only my playing time is bigger in the SM league, when they play there with six defenders.
Niku made his debut in the adult A national team less than a year ago. He played in a total of four EHT games, where he collected one assist with a power statistic of +3.
– Something has always been done right when you get to Leijon. This gives an additional boost to the club team as well, points out Niku.
In Nuori Leijon, Niku played, among other things, in the 2015–2016 season, when the team was coming off a world championship.
When the national team goes on break, Niku is his second teammate in the ice hockey SM league point exchange, a forward Jerry Turkulainen after.
His output in the autumn season for 18 league matches is sensational for a backline player. Nikku’s points per game average is an excellent 1.47 for a defender. With 9+16=25, he is tied for fifth place in the SM league goal scorer statistics.
– The team’s playing has progressed a lot since last season. When the team plays better, then individuals also stand out more. Of course, when our superiority has been at a good level, that also brings more successes, Niku analyzes the first season of JYP, which is fifth in the series.
Niku is currently the most powerful player in the SM league by far. He has collected a total of 17 points in them.
Born: 10/10/1996 in Haapavedi.
Breeders’ association: JYP.
Clubs at adult level:
2014–2017 JYP and JYP Academy
2017-2021 Winnipeg Jets and Manitoba Moose
2021-2022 Montreal Canadiens and Laval Rocket
2022– JYP
In the NHL, 67 matches were played with 2+14=16.
The defenders’ point record for a new one in the SM iiga?
The single-season point record of the defenders of the SM league is going to smash at the pace of Niku’s early season.
Niku’s ferocious scoring pace is even more than 80 points in the regular season. Among forwards, only four players in the history of the SM league have been able to achieve a similar performance.
Aces Pekka “Rocky” Rautakallio hit the scoreboard 45 years ago, which is still valid for defensemen’s point record. In the 36 matches he played, he totaled 25+28=53 points. Twenty years later, he represented HIFK Brian Rafalski your side through 53 points in the 53 matches they played (19+34).
– You shouldn’t think about it too much. You have to play the same way as before and focus on your own work. When you go to play ahead of the team, then you will surely succeed.
– It’s roughly known where it’s going in terms of points. They won’t be followed too much, or at least as much as in previous seasons, says Niku.
According to the star defender, JYP has not changed its game system too much since last season.
– We haven’t changed the way we play terribly, but we have tried to play more on the puck and play through the ball. A big factor has probably been that we’ve gotten the puck back faster, and we haven’t had to defend such long stretches, reflects Niku.
Goalkeepers:
30 Heljanko Christian, Tappara Tampere
31 Taponen Roope, HIFK Helsinki*
Defenders:
2 Laaksonen Oskari, Luleå HF, SHL
3 Friman Niklas, Ilves Tampere
18 Saarijärvi Vili, SCL Tigers, NLA
22 Mattila Jesper, KalPa Kuopio*
28 Widower Otto, Tappara Tampere
33 Vittasmäki Veli-Matti, Tappara Tampere
40 Lindbohm Petteri, HIFK Helsinki
50 Riikola Juuso, SCL Tigers, NLA
52 Seppälä Mikael, HV71, SHL
80 Niku Sami, JYP Jyväskylä
Attackers:
10 Vesalainen Kristian, HIFK Helsinki*
19 Borgström Henrik, HV71, SHL*
20 Jerry from Turku, JYP Jyväskylä
23 Huuhtanen Niko, Jukurit Mikkeli*
24 Hannes Björninen, Örebro HK, SHL
25 Ikonen Joona, Ilves Tampere
27 Janne Kuokkanen, Malmö Redhawks, SHL
29 Oksanen Ahti, IK Oskarshamn, SHL
37 Erholtz Eemil, Aces Pori
39 Repo Sebastian, Lukko Rauma
41 Koivunen Ville, Kärpät Oulu*
51 Jääskä Juha, HIFK Helsinki
62 Mattila Julius, Lukko Rauma
74 Suomela Antti, Lausanne HC, NL
76 Levtchi Anton, Tappara Tampere
*= First time in the A national team.