The Oilers had to play a man short in their first game, so they waived Niemelainen to make room for Adam Erne to suit up as their 12th forward. Niemelainen spent most of the 2022-23 in the AHL, where he had seven points (2G / 5A) in 30 games with Bakersfield (AHL).
Niemelainen had failed to pick up a point in his first 15 games with the Oilers and will head to Bakersfield (AHL) in a corresponding move that saw Philip Broberg get called up. He will hope to be back in the NHL sooner rather than later so that he can add to his one point in 35 career NHL GP.
The 24-year-old defenseman will get his first taste of NHL action this season after collecting one assist in the first 20 games of his career in 2021-22 with the Oilers. He will be brought in as a seventh defenceman for the Oilers' battle against Buffalo.
With Duncan Keith out at least two weeks with a concussion, Niemelainen returns to the NHL. He previously played seven games with the Oilers this season but has spent most of the year in Bakersfield, where he has seven points (2G / 5A) in 23 games.
With Darnell Nurse, Duncan Keith, Cody Ceci and Slater Koekkoek all out, the Oilers have dug deep into the Bakersfield (AHL) depth for Wednesday's game vs. the Penguins. Niemelainen was a third-round pick in 2016 and has three points (1G / 2A) in 14 AHL games this season.
Niemelainen has scored one goal with two assists (three points) in 14 AHL games this season. Niemelainen could make his NHL debut this week after Cody Ceci was moved to the COVID-19 protocol list.
Edmonton selected Niemelainen in the third-round (No.63 overall) in 2016. The 6-foot-5, 205 lbs. defenseman has been back in Finland for the last three years after spending two seasons with Saginaw Spirit of the OHL. In 2019-20, the 21-year-old had seven points (1G / 6A) and 42 PIMS in 55 games with Assat of the Finnish Elite League.
