Antti Niemi made 32 saves in the San Jose Sharks 5-3 win over the Phoenix Coyotes. Niemi never seems to get a lot respect, even in fantasy circles where he has been a legitimate number one for three straight seasons. Even when Niemi is off his game, his team will out gun other teams to ensure Niemi gets the win. Expect over 20 wins and a goals against under 2.40 for the season so keep throwing the 29 year old Finn out there.

Antti Niemi turned away 26 of 29 shots in the San Jose Sharks' 6-3 win over the Edmonton Oilers on Tuesday. Niemi didn't face much pressure in the game, as San Jose led 6-1 after the first period. His position as starting goaltender is secure, so he's a candidate for a breakout season if the talented Sharks continue to play up to their potential. Consistency has been an issue in the past, so hopefully he can sustain his quick start.

Antti Niemi will start in goal Tuesday against the Edmonton Oilers. Niemi is the unquestioned No. 1 goalie in San Jose and should get the majority of the starts this season. Get him in your lineup if you had him on the bench.

Sharks goaltender Anttii Niemi turned aside 31 of 32 shots in a 4-1 season-opening win against Calgary. The underrated netminder is the clear-cut starter for one of the league's top teams yet he doesn't garner the type of respect typically reserved for such consistent performers. If the talent-laden Sharks continue to play such strong positional hockey, Niemi will be one of the top fantasy assets in goal.

Antti Niemi is hoping that he'll be more consistent in 2013. "I have to get better at staying at my better level," Niemi said. "A season like this, there shouldn't be any stretch where I'm not playing well. I think last year on that long road trip, I had some troubles in February. I especially remember that Tampa game (a 6-5 shootout loss in which he made just 19 saves on 24 shots)." Avoiding cold streaks is a big task and we don't expect Niemi to fully succeed in that regard. At the same time, we do think he'll post strong numbers after recordina 2.42 GAA and .915 save percentage last season.

Antti Niemi turned aside 27 shots, including 12 in the first period, in a 4-3 win over Ilves Tampere. The win gives him a 2-2-0 record for the Pelicans in the SM-liiga. However, his 2.88 goals-against average leaves something to be desired.

Antti Niemi made 29 stops in a 6-5 win for Lahti against HPK. The high-scoring contest has raised his goals-against average to 2.84 after three contests. The San Jose keeper also had an assist in the match.

Antti Niemi will play for Pelicans of the SM-liiga. Niemi had a 2.42 GAA an .914 save percentage in 68 games last season. The Pelicans were the team he played for before he made the transition to North American hockey.

Although it's purely speculation at this point, it wouldn't be shocking if Antti Niemi ended up being traded to the Columbus Blue Jackets this summer. Columbus is interested in shaking things up in goal after enduring three rough years with Steve Mason between the pipes. On the other end, the San Jose Sharks have a fair amount of goaltending depth and an interest in Rick Nash. Niemi would be a significant upgrade for the Blue Jackets, but his fantasy value would also probably take a hit if such a trade took place. Such a move might make a certain amount of sense for both sides, but of course that doesn't mean it's going to happen.

Antti Niemi isn't likely to lose his starting job over the Sharks' first round exit. Niemi wasn't able to carry San Jose, but he wasn't the primary reason they lost this series. He had a solid 2.45 GAA and .914 save percentage in five starts. He made some mistakes, but they were costly because his team could never get anything going offensively. San Jose only scored eight goals in five games against the Blues.