Dallas Stars Comparison: Kari Lehtonen And Antti Niemi
By Cole Mentzel
The Dallas Stars finally got the last piece of their dynamic goalie duo in Antti Niemi. In the past two seasons, the Stars had struggled to find a goalie to pair with Kari Lehtonen. From Dan Ellis and Tim Thomas to Anders Lindback and Jhonas Enroth, the goalies kept coming but the Stars never found someone they were impressed with.
Then, Jim Nill stepped in during the draft and made another big trade for the third summer in a row. The Stars dealt the 193rd pick in the draft for the rights to Antti Niemi. Just a few days later, he signed a contract for three years and $13.5 million in Dallas. Just before that, the Stars hired goaltending coach Jeff Reese, who is expected to help the Finnish pair succeed in Dallas.
The Stars now have two legitimate starting goalies on their team so let’s compare them and see where they are alike and different.
Kari Lehtonen
Mar 30, 2015; Dallas, TX, USA; Dallas Stars goalie Kari Lehtonen (32) faces the Calgary Flames attack during the game at the American Airlines Center. The Flames defeated the Stars 5-3. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
2014-15 Stats and Averages (via NHL.com)
GP: 65
Record: 34-17-10
GA: 181
SV%: .903
GAA: 2.94
Kari Lehtonen is approaching his 7th season with the Stars. Though he had some struggles early on last season, fans should give him credit for keeping them in the hunt for the Playoffs. His veteran presence showed up when he needed it to which contributed to a few shutouts last season and a save-of-the-year candidate against the Kings.
The 31-year-old, 6’4 goalie has become a fixture on the ice for the Stars and has grown on a lot of fans. He’s been here through some pretty good times and some pretty bad times which gives him valuable NHL experience in different types of situations.
Lehtonen has a unique way that he plays when he’s in the net. Lots of times you will see him stay out a little bit farther than most goalies. That can be a good thing at times and a bad thing at times but it’s something that I’ve grown used to seeing as a Stars fan. During shootouts, you might see him move out a little bit farther than a normal goalie would and many times that contributes to him getting the save.
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Lehtonen does, however, love to be in the butterfly and he loves getting pucks to certain places on the ice. Every now and then when there is an open net, he will pop the puck up and hope for a goal. Lehtonen does like being a distributor though. He loves having contact with the puck and being a big part of the game which is something that can really help a team.
Overall, Kari Lehtonen is everything your starter should be made of. Though he may not be considered a top goalie in the league, he has flashes that shows he can be close. I look forward to seeing how he responds with another legitimate goaltender sharing his time this season.
Antti Niemi
Apr 4, 2015; Glendale, AZ, USA; San Jose Sharks goalie Antti Niemi (31) looks on during the first period against the Arizona Coyotes at Gila River Arena. Mandatory Credit: Matt Kartozian-USA TODAY Sports
2014-15 Stats and Averages (via NHL.com)
GP: 61
Record: 31-23-7
GA: 155
SV%: .914
GAA: 2.59
Antti Niemi is the newest goalie pickup for the Dallas Stars and many fans, including myself, could not be happier. Instead of focusing on bringing in another backup goalie, the Stars just went out and traded for another goalie capable of starting, so there really won’t be a night when they have less confidence in their goaltending.
Niemi is 31-years-old, just like Lehtonen but is 2 inches shorter. He has played about the same amount of time in the NHL and has also had a fairly long tenure with one franchise. They do have one big difference in the fact the Niemi has been to and won the Stanley Cup before while Lehtonen has only been to the Playoffs, without going too far.
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Niemi also has a rather unique style of play just like Lehtonen. He isn’t exactly good on the eyes but he gets the job done. Even though he is 6’2, he plays to the likes of a smaller goalie with the way he crouches so low.
Also, Niemi doesn’t really hold his glove as high as the average goaltender would. He kind of plays sloppy but does it well enough to stop the pucks which makes him so dangerous. He has plenty of Playoff experience to show for that.
These two players have played before on Finland’s national hockey team but they both backed up Tuukka Rask. In the end, they should still be good partners and should be able to help each other along the way in the NHL. This could be the pair the Stars need to finally get over the hump with Jamie Benn and Tyler Seguin.