The Winnipeg Jets have recalled defenceman Sami Niku from the Manitoba Moose to fill in for Dmitry Kulikov who is out for at least a month with an upper-body injury.
Sami Niku has been recalled by #NHLJets this morning
— Ken Wiebe (@WiebeSunSports) November 11, 2018
Niku is a 22 year old defenceman who was named the top defenceman in the AHL last season as a rookie. He also led the AHL in defensive scoring. While Niku is not perfect and still needs to clean up his game in the defensive end sometimes, the good outweighs the bad with him and he should be a help for the Jets.
By calling up Niku, the Jets have also signalled that they will actually play their call up and not let him sit in the press box for a month. That would be the opposite of developing a player. Instead, it means that we will likely see Niku play and maybe even take over that coveted spot beside Dustin Byfuglien that no one has been able to permanently fill this season.
It is unlikely that Niku will play tonight as the Jets are only calling him up today and probably want to give him a practice or two before throwing him into the deep end. However, stranger things have happened and we could see Niku tonight.
