Canadiens sign free agent defenceman Sami Niku
The Montreal Canadiens announced on Friday that they've agreed to terms with free agent defenceman Sami Niku on a one-year, two-way contract worth $750,000 at the NHL level and $425,000 at the AHL level.
Niku, 24, had his contract terminated by the Jets on Monday. He asked to be let go as he was unhappy with his playing time in the NHL. The Haapavesi, Finland native was taken in the seventh round by Winnipeg in the 2015 NHL Entry Draft. He only appeared in six games during the 2020-21 season, recording no points, eight penalty minutes, and was a -3. He was the AHL's 2018 Defenceman of the Year.
Niku now joins a bit of a logjam on defence in Montreal. Jeff Petry, Joel Edmundson, David Savard, Alexander Romanov and Ben Chiarot already have their sports locked up, which means Niku is battling for the sixth and final spot along with Chris Wideman, Mattias Norlinder, and Cody Goloubef.
The Canadiens have agreed to terms on a one-year contract with defenseman Sami Niku.#GoHabsGohttps://t.co/RiYIiH30Bq— Canadiens Montréal (@CanadiensMTL) September 24, 2021
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APRIL 24, 2026
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| G | A | PTS | ||
| Lawson Crouse | 2 | - | 2 | |
| Kirby Dach | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| Alexandre Texier | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| Mackenzie Weegar | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| Zachary Bolduc | - | 2 | 2 | |
| Clayton Keller | - | 2 | 2 | |
| Jack Eichel | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Mikael Granlund | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Dylan Guenther | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Brandon Hagel | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Lane Hutson | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Kasperi Kapanen | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Mason McTavish | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Ryan Nugent-Hopkins | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Vasily Podkolzin | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Brayden Point | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Ivan Barbashev | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Evan Bouchard | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Leo Carlsson | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Logan Cooley | - | 1 | 1 | |
| COMPLETE STATS | ||||
| 2025-2026 NHL STANDINGS | ||||||
| GP | W | L | OL | PTS | ||
| Sabres | 82 | 50 | 23 | 9 | 109 | |
| Lightning | 82 | 50 | 26 | 6 | 106 | |
| Canadiens | 82 | 48 | 24 | 10 | 106 | |
| Bruins | 82 | 45 | 27 | 10 | 100 | |
| Senators | 82 | 44 | 27 | 11 | 99 | |
| Red Wings | 82 | 41 | 31 | 10 | 92 | |
| Panthers | 82 | 40 | 38 | 4 | 84 | |
| Maple Leafs | 82 | 32 | 36 | 14 | 78 | |
| GP | W | L | OL | PTS | ||
| Hurricanes | 82 | 53 | 22 | 7 | 113 | |
| Penguins | 82 | 41 | 25 | 16 | 98 | |
| Flyers | 82 | 43 | 27 | 12 | 98 | |
| Capitals | 82 | 43 | 30 | 9 | 95 | |
| Blue Jackets | 82 | 40 | 30 | 12 | 92 | |
| Islanders | 82 | 43 | 34 | 5 | 91 | |
| Devils | 82 | 42 | 37 | 3 | 87 | |
| Rangers | 82 | 34 | 39 | 9 | 77 | |
| GP | W | L | OL | PTS | ||
| Avalanche | 82 | 55 | 16 | 11 | 121 | |
| Stars | 82 | 50 | 20 | 12 | 112 | |
| Wild | 82 | 46 | 24 | 12 | 104 | |
| Mammoth | 82 | 43 | 33 | 6 | 92 | |
| Blues | 82 | 37 | 33 | 12 | 86 | |
| Predators | 82 | 38 | 34 | 10 | 86 | |
| Jets | 82 | 35 | 35 | 12 | 82 | |
| Blackhawks | 82 | 29 | 39 | 14 | 72 | |
| GP | W | L | OL | PTS | ||
| Golden Knights | 82 | 39 | 26 | 17 | 95 | |
| Oilers | 82 | 41 | 30 | 11 | 93 | |
| Ducks | 82 | 43 | 33 | 6 | 92 | |
| Kings | 82 | 35 | 27 | 20 | 90 | |
| Sharks | 82 | 39 | 35 | 8 | 86 | |
| Kraken | 82 | 34 | 37 | 11 | 79 | |
| Flames | 82 | 34 | 39 | 9 | 77 | |
| Canucks | 82 | 25 | 49 | 8 | 58 | |
COMPLETE STANDINGS | ||||||