San Jose Sharks: Antti Niemi to Flyers Trade Rumor Only Makes Matters Worse

As previously mentioned in a more recent article, the San Jose Sharks were not far off from adding goalie Antti Niemi to the list of possible movers on NHL Trade Deadline Day.

Early Monday morning, Niemi was mentioned in a trade that would send him to the Philadelphia Flyers in exchange for young left winger James Van Riemsdyk.  The Flyers rejected the trade on

Report: Flyers Reject Sharks' Antti Niemi for James Van Riemsdyk Trade

TSN Hockey Insider Darren Dreger is reporting that the San Jose Sharks offereed goalie Antti Niemi in exchange for 22-year-old left winger James Van Riemsdyk early Monday morning.

The report by Dreger stated that the Flyers have rejected the trade, but are still fielding calls for Van Riemsdyk today.

With the San Jose Sharks Struggling, Is Trading Antti Niemi a Possibility?

The San Jose Sharks' nine-game road trip has taken a turn for the worst with the loss to the last place Columbus Blue Jackets Tuesday night, and it brings up a strong argument that maybe trading goalie Antti Niemi would benefit this team.

San Jose Sharks: What To Make of the Team's Slow Start

How do you explain a team with this many talented players and that much of a hype surrounding them starting the season off 1-3?

You got me. In fact, you may have everyone.

The offense, on paper, is solid. The defense, on paper, is a surefire hit. Then why have they lost three games in a row at the beginning of the season?

Opening Night 2011 LIVE: San Jose Sharks vs. Phoenix Coyotes

The crazy NHL offseason for the San Jose Sharks has taken us to this destination, Opening Night 2011 at HP Pavilion with a whole different brigade of players in tonight's starting line-up. The Sharks and Wild love affair this offseason sent Dany Heatley and Devin

5 Most Important Players For the San Jose Sharks This Upcoming Season

The 2011-12 season is an extremely important one for not only the players on the roster but the entire franchise as a whole. Time is ticking on this team, the talent on it and the front office that have made all the right moves but have nothing to show for it.

San Jose Sharks' Focus Should Be On Antti Niemi and the Third, Fourth Lines

There is no hiding the fact that the San Jose Sharks were busy this offseason. The dealings between San Jose and the newly befriended Minnesota Wild have been well-documented, as have both teams' chances at their respective runs in the playoffs next season.

For the Sharks, they needed to address two problems they encountered last season: Speed and defense.

NHL Playoffs: San Jose Sharks Dismantled in Game 2 As the Western Conference Final Heads to the Shark Tank

The Vancouver Canucks dismantled the San Jose Sharks on Wednesday night, 7-3, in an ugly loss for the Sharks at Rogers Arena.

Unsportsmanlike penalties and overall bad play for the majority of the game has the Sharks heading to San Jose dazed and confused, as they look to overcome a 2-0 series deficit.

Not sure how a team can come back from a game like that, though. It was an utter and complete meltdown from the Sharks, in which some

San Jose Sharks' Game 7 Win Slays Many Demons

In what will go down as one of the greatest wins in San Jose Sharks’ history, the Sharks avoided just that and advanced to the Western Conference Finals on Thursday night.

Vindication.

There were sweat and tears in this series, and that was just from the fans sitting at home in front of their televisions. Thursday’s Game 7 epitomized what this series was all about, what the Sharks/Red Wings rivalry is all about and what hockey is all about.

The Sharks avoided what could have been an epic collapse that would have gone down in history, after being up 3-0 in the series, only to see the Red Wings battle back and win three straight

Devin Setoguchi and the San Jose Sharks Continue OT Success; Take 3-0 Series Lead

It took a Devin Setoguchi hat trick, including the overtime clincher, to push the San Jose Sharks past the Detroit Red Wings on Wednesday night. The Sharks continued their perfect streak of overtime wins, now five of five, and put the Red Wings into a huge 3-0 series hole.

Instant classic.

Arguably both teams' best efforts of the series, the Sharks managed to get by the Red Wings with solid goaltending from Antti Niemi and a little hockey luck.

Everyone knew the Red Wings would come out swinging in Game 3, being down 2-0 in the series, so it was no

NHL Playoffs: Some Things We Learned About the San Jose Sharks In Their Game 1 Win in Overtime

Detroit Red Wings' goaltender Jimmy Howard was good. The San Jose Sharks proved to be better on Friday night at HP Pavilion in San Jose.

That's about all you can say, right?

In such a tightly-played game, it seemed that if either team flinched, it would mean a loss for that team.

Luckily for the Sharks, the Red Wings flinched in overtime.

San Jose Sharks: Antero Niittymaki or Antti Niemi To Start Game 4?

How would you like to be San Jose Sharks coach Todd McLellan right now?

Okay, he's probably not the worst person to be right now, I mean, he is head coach of a team that came back from a 4-0 deficit to win 6-5 in overtime in the playoffs and take control of the series.

But how about the decision he has to make for Game 4 in Los Angeles on Thursday night?

Go with the goalie who has brought your team to the playoffs by playing practically the entire second half of the season, or the goalie who silenced the Kings on the Sharks' way to one of the greatest comebacks in NHL playoff history?

Antti Niemi or Antero Niittymaki?

2011 NHL Playoffs: San Jose Sharks vs. L.A. Kings Series Preview & Predictions

Imagine you walk into the HP Pavilion on Thursday night. A sea of teal and black cover the arena except for the rectangle of freshly zambonied ice that is the center of attention for the next three hours.

The lights go black and Metallica's Seek and Destroy fills the stadium as Antti Niemi leads the team from out of the shark's mouth just as he has done numerous times this season.

The lights return and the National Anthem begins.

"Oh, say can you see..."

Chants of "Beat LA!" suddenly ring from the upper level of the right side of the arena.

It is playoff time in San Jose.

5 Reasons the San Jose Sharks Can Break the Curse and Reach the Stanley Cup Finals

When you think about curses in sports, what teams do you think about?

The Chicago Cubs? Cleveland sports? The late Red Sox before they won it all? Maybe the Detroit Lions or Toronto Maple Leafs?

How about the San Jose Sharks?

You wouldn't think it because of all the NHL playoff appearances and being legitimate Stanley Cup favorites year in and year out, but the Sharks are cursed.

Cursed by what?

There's a new one every year.

San Jose Sharks: 3 Questions That Need To Be Answered Before The Playoffs

With only 11 games left in the 2010-11 NHL season, the San Jose Sharks sit in third place in the Western Conference behind the Detroit Red Wings and Vancouver Canucks.

Despite that, the Sharks still do not sit in such a comfortable position. In fact, no team in that conference does, except maybe Vancouver. The Sharks are just eight points away from the 9th spot in the conference and not making the playoffs.

With three weeks to go, the Sharks sit pretty, but not too pretty.

Still, there are questions surrounding this team.

San Jose Sharks Roll In Big D; Keep Dallas Stars At Bay

Just when you thought the San Jose Sharks were going to take a turn for the worst, they beat down their division rival 6-3 Tuesday night.

It seemed like the perfect time to strike for the Stars. The Sharks had lost three in a row, two of those coming in a shoot-out, including a thrashing by the Chicago blackhawks on Monday night.

Just like that, the Sharks led the Pacific Division by just one point over the Los Angeles Kings.

It seemed like the perfect opportunity for the Stars, right?

Evidently not.

San Jose Sharks: Top 5 Biggest Goals In the 2010-11 NHL Season (With Video)

The San Jose Sharks are one of the hottest teams in the NHL right now. They currently sit in third place in the ultra-competitive Western Conference and just three points out of the second spot.

But it has taken a lot to get this team going. After a slow start to the season, it has been the big plays and game-winners that has driven this team to the elite of the Western Conference.

It has been the Devin Setoguchi goal February 19th when he split the Avalanche defense, faked the fore-hand and went backhand top-shelf.

It was the Torrey Micthell goal just a few nights ago against Vancouver.

And it was the multiple highlight reel goals by rookie Logan Couture.

But it was the game-winners and game-changers that has this team where they are now.

San Jose Sharks: Give Antti Niemi A Rest

San Jose Sharks' goalie Antti Niemi made his 21st straight start in net on Saturday, a loss to the Dallas Stars, which snapped the Sharks' 8-game win streak. Niemi was 17-4 during that span of 21 games.

Is it time to get Niemi some rest then?

Not that he needs it. Niemi has been the main reason for the Sharks' surge to the top of the Pacific division and 3rd place in the Western Conference. But isn't it time? It's almost unheard of for a goalie to go 20+ straight starts in the NHL these days.

But why stop someone while he's hot, right? Niemi is 17-4 in his last 21 games, hasn't complained a bit, and still looks agile and alert as if he just had a night off.

The possibility of wearing him out before the playoffs still lingers, and that would be the only reason to give him a night off.

The Sharks have been starting Niemi in so many consecutive starts not because they want to, although if you ask them now they'd agree, but because they have to.

Niemi Inks Four More Years In San Jose

"Too legit to quit." That would be the Sharks' answer to why they signed 'hot to the touch' goalie Antti Niemi to a 4-year extension yesterday. He will be property of the Sharks until 2014-15 season.

Maybe a spur of the moment deal, seeing as Niemi went 10-2 in February and has vaulted the Sharks into the 3rd spot in the Western Conference, but is there really anyone disagreeing with this signing? It doesn't hurt, right?

Reports are that Niemi will be getting paid about $3.8 million over the next 4 years (he is getting paid $2 million for this season).

It's an upgrade for Niemi, and, sure, he deserves it. It was shocking to me that a

Trade Rumors Fueling Setoguchi

So maybe that was all it took. A good kick in the pants and swirling trade rumors have Devin Setoguchi playing his best hockey of the year at a most crucial time of the year. Granted, it is only three games, but we'll take what we can get out of Setoguchi who has been quite the disappointment after being dubbed the "second-coming" just a few years ago.

Maybe Setoguchi wasn't even on the trading block to begin with, but the racing tension of actually being traded out of San Jose by February 28th may have him playing as hard as ever. And that's what we have seen over these last 3 or 4 games, Setoguchi working hard, and it has payed off in these last three games with