Where Is the Love for Antti Niemi?

It has been approximately three weeks now since the Chicago Blackhawks have announced they will not be re-signing Antti Niemi as their goaltender.

Niemi was awarded a salary of $2.75 million for the upcoming season. That would be a considerable raise from the $800,000 that he made prior while leading Chicago to its first Stanley Cup in 49 years.

Right after the Stan Bowman announced the Blackhawks will be signing Marty Turco there was more buzz than we have all heard this off-season; minus the Ilya Kovalchuk catastrophe.

Since the Chicago Blackhawks declined Antti Niemi's arbitration settlement, it appeared the Washington Capitals would be a good fit for the Stanley Cup winning goaltender. But several reports have noted the Caps want to go with their young goalies. . The San Jose Sharks, Edmonton Oilers and Nashville Predators have all been rumored on Niemi as well but have yet to show serious interest.

Will any of those teams go after him? Or hope for the best with what they already have?  Washington Capitals saw the Blackhawks depend on their young goaltender, will they do the same?

Niemi should have thought all of this through before going into arbitration.  The rumor mill and buzz around Antti Niemi has expired, and seems to continue that way as time goes on.  

Besides the fact that most teams have their goaltender situation already mastered, where is the love for the goalie that brought the Stanley Cup to Chicago after 49 years?  Most teams would love to have a goaltender that was able to perform their rookie season all the way to the finish line. In all honesty, where is the buzz, the rumors and even the contract?

Maybe it is the greed.  In today’s Chicago Tribune Antti Niemi said there were no regrets on going to arbitration. Niemi is disappointed not to be with the Blackhawks, but he must have known the trouble the franchise was in.  In order to stay, he should have known $2.75 million was not going to be entering his bank account.

I wish him the best, and of course wish he was still a member of the Chicago Blackhawks. 
Life will go on for Antti Niemi, but sometimes greed can harm an individual, whether it is him or his Agent, Bill Zito.

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