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Niemi goes from being a Shark in San Jose to a Pelican in Finland

St. Louis Blues v San Jose Sharks - Game Four

SAN JOSE, CA - APRIL 19: Antti Niemi #31 of the San Jose Sharks makes a save against the St. Louis Blues in Game Four of the Western Conference Quarterfinals during the 2012 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at HP Pavilion on April 19, 2012 in San Jose, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

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It’s a homecoming of sorts for Sharks goalie Antti Niemi during the lockout.

Niemi signed a one-month contract to play for Pelicans Lahti (link in Finnish) in the SM-liiga in Finland during the lockout according to the team website.

For Niemi he returns, albeit briefly, to the team he got his professional start with back in 2005-06. It was there he proved his worth to the Chicago Blackhawks who signed him as an undrafted free agent in 2008. Two years later he was leading Chicago to their first Stanley Cup since 1961.

Niemi has been with the Sharks the past two seasons after not being re-signed by Chicago after winning the Cup.