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Markus NiemeläinenTappara
© Photo: Sandro Halank

Finland flagMarkus Niemeläinen

#56 Tappara / Liiga - 26/27

Date of Birth
Jun 08, 1998
Age
28
Place of Birth
Kuopio, FIN
Nation
Finland
Youth Team
Kiekko-Ahma
Position
D
Height
197 cm / 6'6"
Weight
86 kg / 190 lbs
Shoots
L
Contract
27/28
  • U18 WJC Gold Medal1
  • U18 WJC Silver Medal1
  • EYOF Bronze Medal1
  • DEL Champion2
  • Liiga Champion1
Markus Niemeläinen Facts
Drafted
2016 round 3 #63 overall by Edmonton Oilers
Agency
Premium
A complete all-around defenceman that makes the game look easy. Natural size and strength compliment his smooth stride. Very mobile skater who moves up and down the ice quickly, with acute recognition of puck and body position. His maturity and poise is actualized in his high-percentage decision-making, with and without the puck, as well as his proactive stick and body play. Very stable defensively and always takes his lane, but is quick to rush the puck up the ice as he recognizes and accounts for how much time his team is spending in their own end. All-in-all, a quick-thinking defenceman that, honestly lacking nothing, has the potential to develop into a reliable two-way defenceman. (Curtis Joe, EP 2016)

Family relations
Brother: Matias Niemeläinen

An all-situations defender, Niemelainen contributes on the power play and does some good work on the penalty kill

— Futureconsiderations.ca 2016
Markus Niemeläinen Statistics
STeamLeagueGPGATPPIM+/-PostGPGATPPIM+/-
2011-2012HPK U16U16 SM-sarja80444-
2012-2013HPK U16U16 SM-sarja Q938118-
2012-2013HPK U16U16 SM-sarja3136910-
2012-2013HPK U17U17 SM-sarja10000-Playoffs92352-
2012-2013HPK U18U18 SM-sarja00000-Playoffs30112-
2013-2014Tappara U16U16 SM-sarja Q11120-
2013-2014Tappara U16U16 SM-sarja100444-
2013-2014Tappara U18U18 SM-sarja403111414-Playoffs30000-
2013-2014Finland U16 (all)International-Jr1114567
2014-2015HPK U18U18 SM-sarja40220-
2014-2015HPK U20U20 SM-liiga39214162824Playoffs1205548
2014-2015Finland U17WHC-1761012-
2014-2015Finland U17 (all)International-Jr1413465
2014-2015Finland U18WJC-1870000-2
2014-2015Finland U18 (all)International-Jr120002-6
2015-2016Saginaw SpiritOHL651262728-23Playoffs40000-6
2015-2016Finland U18WJC-18701161
2016-2017Saginaw SpiritOHL5936940-5
2016-2017Finland U20 (all)International-Jr81016-7
2017-2018HPK U20U20 SM-liiga00000-Playoffs50002-1
2017-2018HPKLiiga4212324-12
2017-2018LeKi LoanMestis10000-1
2017-2018Finland U20 (all)International-Jr90114-
2018-2019HPKLiiga5014585Playoffs180224-5
2019-2020ÄssätLiiga5516742-6
2020-2021Ässät LoanLiiga1403335-2
2020-2021Bakersfield CondorsAHL2124660
2021-2022Edmonton OilersNHL200114-5
2021-2022Bakersfield CondorsAHL34268124Playoffs30000-1
2022-2023Edmonton OilersNHL2300043
2022-2023Bakersfield CondorsAHL30257184Playoffs20000-3
2023-2024Bakersfield CondorsAHL35145182Playoffs20000-3
2024-2025Eisbären BerlinDEL40167357Playoffs300042
2025-2026Eisbären BerlinDEL2203342Playoffs802264
2026-2027TapparaLiiga200020
2026-2027ProjectedLiiga55000550
Markus Niemeläinen Tournament Statistics
STeamLeagueGPGATPPIM+/-PostGPGATPPIM+/-
2014-2015Finland U17EYOF303327
2015-2016Finland U18Ivan Hlinka Memorial502263
2017-2018HPKSpengler Cup30000-2
2024-2025Eisbären BerlinChampions HL410124
2025-2026Eisbären BerlinChampions HL------
2026-2027TapparaChampions HL10000-1
Markus Niemeläinen Career Totals by League
LeagueSeasonsGPGATPPPGPIM+/-SeasonsGPGATPPPGPIM+/-
AHL4120719260.225410370000.000-7
Champions HL35*1*01*0.20*2*3*0
DEL26219100.163992110220.18106
EYOF130331.00270
International-Jr45438110.2024-1*0
Ivan Hlinka Memorial (Hlinka Gretzky Cup)150220.40630
Liiga5163315180.11111-151180220.114-5
Mestis110000.000-10
NHL2430110.028-20
OHL2124432360.2968-28140000.000-6
Spengler Cup130000.000-20
U16 SM-sarja349314170.3518-0
U16 SM-sarja Q21049131.308-0
U17 SM-sarja110000.000-192350.562-
U18 SM-sarja344313160.3614-260110.172-
U20 SM-liiga (U20 SM-sarja)239214160.4128242170550.2967
WHC-17161010.172-0
WJC-182140110.076-10

* Some data is missing to provide a correct summary.

Markus Niemeläinen Career Totals by Team
TeamSeasonsGPGATPPPGPIM+/-SeasonsGPGATPPPGPIM+/-
Finland flagÄssät26919100.1477-80
USA flagBakersfield Condors4120719260.225410370000.000-7
Canada flagEdmonton Oilers2430110.028-20
Germany flagEisbären Berlin266*2*9*11*0.17*41*13*2110220.18106
Finland flagFinland U16 (all)1111450.45670
Finland flagFinland U17191340.4447*0
Finland flagFinland U17 (all)1141340.29650
Finland flagFinland U182140110.076-10
Finland flagFinland U18 (Cup)150220.40630
Finland flagFinland U18 (all)1120000.002-60
Finland flagFinland U20 (all)2171120.1210-7*0
Finland flagHPK2952680.0832-91180220.114-5
Finland flagHPK U16248618240.5022-0
Finland flagHPK U17110000.000-192350.562-
Finland flagHPK U18240220.500-130110.332-
Finland flagHPK U20239214160.4128242170550.2967
Finland flagLeKi110000.000-10
USA flagSaginaw Spirit2124432360.2968-28140000.000-6
Finland flagTappara130000.002-10
Finland flagTappara U161111560.554-0
Finland flagTappara U18140311140.3514-130000.000-

* Some data is missing to provide a correct summary.

Markus Niemeläinen Career Highlights
SeasonAwards
2012-2013
2014-2015
2015-2016
2018-2019
2024-2025
2025-2026
Transactions
DateStatusFromTo
ConfirmedEisbären BerlinTappara
ConfirmedEisbären BerlinUnknown
ExtensionEisbären BerlinEisbären Berlin
ExtensionEisbären BerlinEisbären Berlin
ConfirmedBakersfield CondorsEisbären Berlin
ExtensionEdmonton OilersEdmonton Oilers
LoanEdmonton OilersÄssät
ConfirmedÄssätEdmonton Oilers
ExtensionÄssätÄssät
ConfirmedHPKÄssät
LoanHPKLeKi
ConfirmedSaginaw SpiritHPK
ConfirmedHIFKSaginaw Spirit
ConfirmedHPK U20HIFK
Markus Niemeläinen Biography and Trivia

Drafted 2015, 1 #18 by Saginaw Spirit in the CHL Import Draft
Drafted 2015, 3 #63 by Dinamo Riga in the KHL Draft
Drafted 2015, 13 #199 by Fargo Force in the USHL Entry Draft
2016 NHL Entry Draft: Ranked #63 by FC Hockey
2016 NHL Entry Draft: Ranked #48 by MCKEEN'S HOCKEY
2016 NHL Entry Draft: Ranked #52 by NHL CENTRAL SCOUTING
2016 NHL Entry Draft: Ranked #38 by TSN/McKenzie