Niko Hovinen: Giant in goal
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Niko Hovinen: Giant in goal
Sam Carchidi, Inquirer Staff Writer
The Flyers’ top farm team, the Adirondack Phantoms, will have numerous great storylines this season.
Perhaps none is more interesting than the development of goalie Niko Hovinen, a native of Helsinki, Finland.
No goaltender in the AHL will be taller than the 6-foot-7 Hovinen, who is coming off a superb season in Finland (2.26 goals-against average, .920 save percentage) and will be playing his first pro season in North America.
“I’ve been waiting for this for a long time,” said Hovinen, 24, after going through the Phantoms’ practice in Voorhees on Monday. “Obviously, the goal is to make it to the NHL, and before that, try to win some games and try to become a better goalie.
“I'm playing where I want to be this season,” he added. “The (AHL) is a good league, and we should have a good team here. My intention last season was to play one more year at home and be ready to come here."
Hovinen comes from an athletic family. His father, Seppo, was rated the no. 1 javelin thrower in the world in 1975 and competed in the 1976 Montreal Olympics, and his mother, Ulla, holds the all-time Finnish record for the women’s discus and she finished fourth in the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics.
If the lockout is lifted and the NHL season gets underway, Ilya Bryzgalov will be the Flyers’ starting goalie and Michael Leighton will serve as his backup.
The fact that Bryzgalov has eight years remaining on his contract _ even if an amnesty clause is added to the new CBA, the Flyers would probably hold onto him _ doesn’t bother Hovinen.
“I don’t really think about that,” he said. “I just try to make myself better and see what happens.”
Because the rinks in North America are smaller, Hovinen said, “the hockey is different and I have to play a little deeper than I did back home. That’s probably the biggest thing. The rink is a lot smaller, so the shots start coming faster and guys are making better plays. If I’m too far away (from the net), there’s going to be a backdoor pass and I’ll be out of it. I’ll try to adjust my game to that and be in the right spot.”
Hovinen will get his first opportunity to impress the Flyers’ brass on Tuesday when they play Albany, the New Jersey Devils’ affiliate, in Voorhees at 2 p.m. It is free and open to the public.
Forward Adam Henrique and defenseman Adam Larsson, each of whom helped the Devils oust the Flyers in last year’s playoffs, are among the players on Albany’s roster.
Follow Sam Carchidi on Twitter @BroadStBull.
So his father was one of the Marx Brothers? I think he was the singer.— Johnnyboyl- You're nuts if you think the flyers will "hold on to" bryzgalov if an amnesty clause is added to the new CBA. If that happens, bryz will be gone after next season, gauranteed.— CosmoK
- Cosmok took the words right out of my mouth. If Bryz has another mediocre season- and so far his KHL play ain't too impressive- there's no way the Flyers keep him with an amnesty clause available. Out of 55 goalies that have played in the KHL this season, Bryz ranks # 48 and Bob who supposedly sucked so bad that we gave him to CBJ ranks #13. Granted more games may change that, but comparing apples to apples it's clear which one sucks and which one the Flyers gave up on way too early. We screwed ourselves by locking up Bryz long term.— Fly Guy
- I almost forgot Leighton was the backup. Holmer will be forever cursed with making giant awesome moves like getting Pronger, trading Richards/Carter, but then making awful moves like NOT replacing Pronger immediately, chasing Weber, losing Weber, while guys like Carle and Jagr walked. OH, and did I mention not drafting, and not being in a position to draft a top goalie, in the first round since 1999 (Maxime Ouellet)?— MichaelZoe
Top Busts in Philadelphia Sports History - Maxime Ouellet
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/630593-domonic-brown-and-the-top-25-busts-in-philadelphia-sports-history/page/16
- Carle = Overrated and overpaid; Jagr= casper the ghost in the playoffs last year. I agree with letting both walk. You cannot pay everyone when there is a salary cap. I think Homer has done a great job since taking over Clarkie's mess.— cdedrick05
- I imagine we'll have enough of Bryz by the 35-40th game. Good to know there are some prospects to take his place.— neddyflanders
- Great goalies don't necessarily get drafted in the first round. Lundquist wasn't. Nashville's Rinne wasn't.— P Even
- @ MichaelZoe - How is not being in position to draft a goalie since 99 Homer's fault? That's eight years before he was named the GM. Also it's not that easy to replace a HOF defensemen mid season with out giving up to much and he did his best to do so trying to lure Weber out of Nashville, not to mention he put bids in on Suter as well, the only two defensemen that could come close to replacing Prongs and worth pursuing this offseason. And don;t get me started on Jagr and Carle. Not signing Carle for the amount he got paid was a no brainer. 5.5 million could and was spent more wisely (extensions for Simmonds and Voracek). He was good but not that good. And i like jagr a lot but with him gone that gives our young guys more of a chance to grow and play crucial minutes.— stockdalec12243
- @ Fly Guy, if there's an amnesty clause it will be for this year when the lockout is over, so they won't have another year to evaluate Bryz.
@ Michael Zoe, Homer wasn't GM for several years after 1999 & I for one completely agreed with him going aggressively after Weber and letting Carle & Jagr go. Carle is overpaid and Jagr is getting older and odds are he won't be nearly as good this year (especially without Giroux). you would have been just as excited as anyone if they had signed weber. it was worth a shot and love homer for his aggressiveness. - Carle and Jagr weren't staying for their asking prices no matter what happened with Weber.— Sidewinder7
- So, setting aside for a moment Paul Holmgren, Bob Clarke, Matt Carle, Chris Pronger and the CBA, Hovinen seems like a very intelligent, common-sense type of guy. I don't see any mention of a translator, so his English seems excellent. I'd love to see him succeed in the North American game.— 1980
- From the practice I saw he was very impresive! HE is quick and plays the angles well. I really hope this kids continues to grow into the goalie he can be!— srcdaddy1216
- You better believe the Flyers will amnesty Bryz if allowed coming out of the new CBA! Bryz won't even need a plane ticket back from Russia.— Phront_Runner
- The real problem is exactly as put in the column. Ilya Bryzgalov has another eight years to stink it up in the Flyers's net! Even if Niko Hoivinen were to live up to the hype, he'll be long gone before the wasted years of IB are out of town forever. Hope CosmoK is right about dumping IB!
GOOD GRIEF!— BEMiller
