Eetu Mäkiniemi

Eetu Mäkiniemi
Eetu Mäkiniemi
Born	19 April 1999 (age 25); Vantaa, Finland
Height	6 ft 2 in (188 cm)
Weight	184 lb (83 kg; 13 st 2 lb)
Position	Goaltender
Catches	Left
NHL team (P); Cur. team; Former teams	Philadelphia Flyers; Lehigh Valley Phantoms (AHL); Ilves; San Jose Sharks
NHL draft	104th overall, 2017; Carolina Hurricanes
Playing career	2018–present

Eetu Mäkiniemi (born 19 April 1999) is a Finnish professional ice hockey goaltender for the Lehigh Valley Phantoms in the American Hockey League (AHL) while under contract to the Philadelphia Flyers of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was drafted 104th overall by the Carolina Hurricanes in the fourth round of the 2017 NHL Entry Draft and has previously played in the NHL with the San Jose Sharks.

Playing career

Europe

As a youth, Mäkiniemi played minor hockey for Kiekko-Vantaa before playing junior hockey for Jokerit. He represented Jokerit U20 in 2016–17 and 2017–18 for the Junior Club World Cup (JCWC).^[1]

Mäkiniemi was transferred to Kiekko-Vantaa for the 2018–19 Mestis season, however, he was out for part of the season with a hip injury.^[2]

In April 2019, Ilves signed Mäkiniemi to a two-year contract with a one-year extension option.^[3] On 28 December 2019, he made his Liiga debut in a 2–1 win against KooKoo.^[4] On 28 November 2020, he recorded his first Liiga shutout against KalPa with 24 shots saved.^[5]

North America

On 1 May 2021, the Carolina Hurricanes signed Mäkiniemi to a two-year, entry-level contract.^[6] Mäkiniemi in his first 14 appearances for the Hurricanes' AHL affiliate, the Chicago Wolves, posted a sparking 11–2–1 mark with a .922 save percentage and two shutouts, and he yielded two goals or less nine times, including a 41-save performance at Milwaukee on 22 October 2021, to earn a 3–2 win in his AHL debut.^{[citation needed]}

On 13 July 2022, Mäkiniemi, Steven Lorentz and a third-round pick in the 2023 NHL Entry Draft were traded to the San Jose Sharks in exchange for Brent Burns and Lane Pederson.^[7] He made his NHL debut on 7 December 2022, in a 6–5 overtime loss to the Vancouver Canucks.^[8] In June 2023, he re-signed with the Sharks on a one-year contract.^[9]

At the conclusion of his contract with the Sharks, Mäkiniemi left as a free agent and was un-signed over the summer. On 30 August 2024, he accepted an invitation to attend the Philadelphia Flyers training camp for the 2024–25 season on a professional tryout,^[10] later agreeing to a one-year contract on 24 September.^[11]

Career statistics

			Regular season									Playoffs
Season	Team	League	GP	W	L	T/OT	MIN	GA	SO	GAA	SV%	GP	W	L	MIN	GA	SO	GAA	SV%
2016–17	Jokerit	Jr. A	26	—	—	—	—	—	—	2.68	.914	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
2017–18	Jokerit	Jr. A	35	—	—	—	—	—	—	3.03	.916	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
2018–19	Jokerit	Jr. A	1	—	—	—	—	—	—	9.00	.735	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
2018–19	Kiekko-Vantaa	Mestis	13	4	7	2	773	38	1	2.92	.905	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
2019–20	Koovee	Mestis	26	14	4	8	1592	80	1	3.01	.908	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
2019–20	Ilves	Liiga	7	2	0	4	352	9	0	1.53	.936	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
2020–21	Ilves	Liiga	34	13	14	7	2039	88	2	2.59	.907	5	1	4	298	15	0	3.02	.915
2021–22	Chicago Wolves	AHL	14	11	2	1	843	29	2	2.06	.922	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
2022–23	San Jose Barracuda	AHL	22	8	10	3	1,214	60	2	2.96	.900	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
2022–23	San Jose Sharks	NHL	2	1	1	0	85	3	0	2.13	.906	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
2023–24	San Jose Barracuda	AHL	18	8	8	0	935	49	3	3.14	.900	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
2023–24	Wichita Thunder	ECHL	3	1	2	0	177	10	0	3.39	.907	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Liiga totals			41	15	14	11	2391	97	2	2.43	.911	5	1	4	298	15	0	3.02	.915
NHL totals			2	1	1	0	85	3	0	2.13	.906	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—

Awards and honors

Award	Year
Mestis
Best Goaltender	2019–20
Second All-Star Team	2019–20

References

^ "Eetu Mäkiniemi at eliteprospects.com". eliteprospects.com. Retrieved 11 November 2021.
^ "Ilveksen nuorella torjujalla huima startti uralle – taustalla kova nousu: "En uskonut, että homma lähtee käyntiin näin hyvin"". iltalehti.fi (in Finnish). Retrieved 11 November 2021.
^ "Kolppanen, Maalahti ja lupaavia nuoria Ilvekseen − Rautiainenkin jää Tampereelle". Jatkoaika.com – Kaikki jääkiekosta (in Finnish). Retrieved 11 November 2021.
^ Gynther, Mikko (28 December 2019). "Ilveksen maalilla debytoinut nuori lupaus häikäisi heti ja otti Dostalista mallia – Takana on vaikea viime kausi: "Olen tosi ylpeä itsestäni"". Aamulehti (in Finnish). Retrieved 11 November 2021.
^ "Game logs | #38 Mäkiniemi, Eetu | Liiga". old.liiga.fi (in Finnish). Retrieved 11 November 2021.
^ "Canes Sign Kochetkov and Makiniemi". National Hockey League. Retrieved 11 November 2021.
^ "Burns traded to Hurricanes by Sharks". National Hockey League. 13 July 2023. Retrieved 13 July 2022.
^ "Pettersson's overtime winner powers Canucks past Sharks". The Sports Network. 7 December 2023. Retrieved 7 December 2022.
^ "Sharks Sign Goaltender Eetu Makiniemi". NHL.com. San Jose Sharks. 30 June 2023. Retrieved 30 June 2023.
^ wdsportsagency.com (30 August 2024). "Eetu Mäkiniemi agrees to PTO with Flyers". X. Retrieved 30 August 2024.
^ Miller, Max (24 September 2024). "Flyers Sign Former Top Sharks Goalie Prospect". The Hockey News. Retrieved 24 September 2024.

External links

Biographical information and career statistics from NHL.com, or Eliteprospects.com, or Eurohockey.com, or Hockey-Reference.com, or The Internet Hockey Database
Eetu Mäkiniemi profile and statistics at TheAHL.com

[1] "Eetu Mäkiniemi at eliteprospects.com". eliteprospects.com. Retrieved 11 November 2021.

[2] "Ilveksen nuorella torjujalla huima startti uralle – taustalla kova nousu: "En uskonut, että homma lähtee käyntiin näin hyvin"". iltalehti.fi (in Finnish). Retrieved 11 November 2021.

[3] "Kolppanen, Maalahti ja lupaavia nuoria Ilvekseen − Rautiainenkin jää Tampereelle". Jatkoaika.com – Kaikki jääkiekosta (in Finnish). Retrieved 11 November 2021.

[4] Gynther, Mikko (28 December 2019). "Ilveksen maalilla debytoinut nuori lupaus häikäisi heti ja otti Dostalista mallia – Takana on vaikea viime kausi: "Olen tosi ylpeä itsestäni"". Aamulehti (in Finnish). Retrieved 11 November 2021.

[5] "Game logs | #38 Mäkiniemi, Eetu | Liiga". old.liiga.fi (in Finnish). Retrieved 11 November 2021.

[6] "Canes Sign Kochetkov and Makiniemi". National Hockey League. Retrieved 11 November 2021.

[7] "Burns traded to Hurricanes by Sharks". National Hockey League. 13 July 2023. Retrieved 13 July 2022.

[8] "Pettersson's overtime winner powers Canucks past Sharks". The Sports Network. 7 December 2023. Retrieved 7 December 2022.

[9] "Sharks Sign Goaltender Eetu Makiniemi". NHL.com. San Jose Sharks. 30 June 2023. Retrieved 30 June 2023.

[10] wdsportsagency.com (30 August 2024). "Eetu Mäkiniemi agrees to PTO with Flyers". X. Retrieved 30 August 2024.

[11] Miller, Max (24 September 2024). "Flyers Sign Former Top Sharks Goalie Prospect". The Hockey News. Retrieved 24 September 2024.

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