Eliteprospects
Finland Janne Niskala
#28 Lukko / Liiga - 18/19
1-time World Championship Gold Medal 1
1-time U20 WJC Silver Medal 1
1-time World Championship Bronze Medal 1
1-time Olympic Bronze Medal 1
Date of Birth
Sep 22, 1981
Position
D
Age
44
Height
6'0" / 184 cm
Place of Birth
Västerås, SWE
Weight
201 lbs / 91 kg
Nation
Finland
Shoots
L
Youth Team
Lukko
Status
Retired
Drafted
2004 round 5 #147 overall by Nashville Predators

A skilled defenseman with excellent offensive qualities. Is a very good passer, but might be a better shot. Both the slapshot and the wrister are very hard and accurate. Is a tremendous puck-mover and power play quarterback. Skates well and is very mobile.
Is inconsistent in his defensive positioning and his effort. Can get nonchalant and presumptious with the puck.

Team Staff profile of Janne Niskala also available

© Photo: Timo Savela

Use/Embed statistics

Janne Niskala Statistics

S Team League GP G A TP PIM +/-   POST GP G A TP PIM +/-
1996-97 Lukko U16 U16 SM-sarja Q 8* 0* 1* 1* 4* -* |
Lukko U16 U16 I-divisioona -* -* -* -* -* -* |
1997-98 Lukko U18 U18 SM-sarja 12* 0* 1* 1* 10* -* | Relegation 22 7 15 22 30 -
1998-99 Lukko U18 U18 SM-sarja 14* 7* 4* 11* 42* -* | Relegation
Lukko U20 U20 SM-liiga 2* 0* 0* 0* 12* -* |
1999-00 Lukko U20 U20 SM-liiga 40* 14* 15* 29* 50* -* | Playoffs 8 0 2 2 8 -
2000-01 Lukko U20 U20 SM-liiga 13* 4* 8* 12* 40* -* |
Lukko SM-liiga 18* 0* 0* 0* 0* -2* |
UJK Mestis 13* 4* 1* 5* 43* -1* |
Manchester Storm BISL 10* 0* 1* 1* 8* -* | Playoffs 6 0 0 0 6 -
Finland U20 WJC-20 7* 0* 0* 0* 10* 0* |
Finland U20 (all) International-Jr 20* 2* 1* 3* 18* -* |
2001-02 Lukko U20 U20 SM-liiga 3* 1* 1* 2* 2* -* |
Lukko SM-liiga 55* 7* 13* 20* 81* -25* |
Finland (all) International 4* 1* 0* 1* 4* -1* |
2002-03 Lukko SM-liiga 46* 4* 5* 9* 40* 5* |
2003-04 Lukko SM-liiga 55* 21* 15* 36* 73* 13* | Playoffs 4 0 0 0 18 -4
2004-05 Lukko SM-liiga 44* 9* 12* 21* 63* 6* | Playoffs 9 5 2 7 4 -2
2005-06 EV Zug NLA 44* 12* 17* 29* 50* -* | Playoffs 7 0 2 2 10 -
2006-07 Färjestad BK Elitserien 53* 19* 30* 49* 62* 25* | Playoffs 9 3 3 6 14 3
2007-08 Milwaukee Admirals AHL 80* 19* 25* 44* 81* 6* | Playoffs 6 0 1 1 8 -3
Finland WC 9* 2* 2* 4* 2* 1* |
2008-09 Tampa Bay Lightning NHL 6* 1* 2* 3* 6* 0* |
Frölunda HC Elitserien 35* 9* 10* 19* 20* 6* | Playoffs 11 3 3 6 8 -6
Finland WC 4* 1* 2* 3* 2* 0* |
2009-10 Frölunda HC Elitserien 50* 12* 16* 28* 34* 5* | Playoffs 7 3 4 7 6 -2
Finland OG 6* 0* 2* 2* 2* -2* |
Finland WC 7* 0* 2* 2* 4* -2* |
2010-11 Metallurg Magnitogorsk KHL 54* 11* 19* 30* 30* 17* | Playoffs 19 0 4 4 14 -1
Finland WC 9* 1* 3* 4* 4* 6* |
2011-12 Atlant Mytishchi KHL 54* 12* 22* 34* 32* 12* | Playoffs 12 2 1 3 6 -3
Finland WC 10* 3* 1* 4* 10* 0* |
Finland (all) International 22* 6* 4* 10* 18* 3* |
2012-13 Atlant Mytishchi “A” KHL 14* 1* 3* 4* 10* -7* |
Dynamo Minsk KHL 37* 7* 8* 15* 20* 3* |
Finland (all) International 3* 0* 1* 1* 0* 4* |
2013-14 Atlant Mytishchi KHL 38* 2* 5* 7* 6* 6* |
2014-15 Lukko “A” Liiga 60* 14* 16* 30* 71* -3* | Playoffs 14 2 3 5 8 -3
Finland (all) International 1* 0* 0* 0* 0* -1* |
2015-16 Lukko “A” Liiga 56* 10* 24* 34* 46* 6* | Playoffs 5 0 2 2 2 -2
Finland (all) International 3* 0* 0* 0* 0* -1* |
2016-17 Lukko “C” Liiga 43* 11* 6* 17* 12* -2* |
2017-18 Lukko “C” Liiga 54* 9* 19* 28* 28* -3* |
2018-19 Lukko “C” Liiga 44* 1* 8* 9* 12* -4* |

Janne Niskala Tournament Statistics

S Team League GP G A TP PIM +/-   POST GP G A TP PIM +/-
2002-03 Finland EHT 3* 0* 1* 1* 2* -* |
2003-04 Finland EHT 4* 1* 0* 1* 0* -* |
2005-06 HC Davos Spengler Cup 4* 0* 1* 1* 0* -* |
2006-07 Färjestad BK ECC 2* 0* 2* 2* 2* -1* |
Finland EHT 6* 1* 0* 1* 6* 0* |
2008-09 Finland EHT 9* 2* 1* 3* 4* -2* |
2009-10 Finland EHT 6* 1* 2* 3* 4* 3* |
2010-11 Finland EHT 8* 1* 2* 3* 8* 3* |
2011-12 Finland EHT 8* 2* 2* 4* 4* 3* |
2012-13 Dynamo Minsk Nadezhda Cup 6* 3* 0* 3* 0* 1* |
Finland EHT 3* 0* 1* 1* 0* 4* |
2013-14 Atlant Mytishchi Nadezhda Cup 3* 0* 0* 0* 0* -2* |
2014-15 Lukko “A” Champions HL 10* 2* 5* 7* 2* 6* |
Finland EHT 1* 0* 0* 0* 0* -1* |
2015-16 Lukko Champions HL 12* 3* 4* 7* 12* 6* |
Finland EHT 3* 0* 0* 0* 0* -1* |
2016-17 Lukko Champions HL 5* 2* 0* 2* 4* 2* |

Janne Niskala Career Totals

League Years GP G A TP PPG PIM +/- | Years GP G A TP PPG PIM +/-
AHL 1 80* 19* 25* 44* 0.55* 81* 6* | 1 6 0 * 1 * 1 * 0.17 * 8 * -3 *
BISL 1 10* 0* 1* 1* 0.10* 8* -* | 1 6 0 * 0 * 0 * 0.00 * 6 * - *
Champions HL 3 27* 7* 9* 16* 0.59* 18* 14* | 0 * * * * * *
ECC 1 2* 0* 2* 2* 1.00* 2* -1* | 0 * * * * * *
EHT 10 51* 8* 9* 17* 0.33* 28* 9* | 0 * * * * * *
International 5 33* 7* 5* 12* 0.36* 22* 4* | 0 * * * * * *
International-Jr 1 20* 2* 1* 3* 0.15* 18* -* | 0 * * * * * *
KHL 4 197* 33* 57* 90* 0.46* 98* 31* | 2 31 2 * 5 * 7 * 0.23 * 20 * -4 *
Liiga (SM-liiga) 10 475* 86* 118* 204* 0.43* 426* -9* | 4 32 7 * 7 * 14 * 0.44 * 32 * -11 *
Mestis 1 13* 4* 1* 5* 0.38* 43* -1* | 0 * * * * * *
Nadezhda Cup 2 9* 3* 0* 3* 0.33* 0* -1* | 0 * * * * * *
NHL 1 6* 1* 2* 3* 0.50* 6* 0* | 0 * * * * * *
NLA (NL) 1 44* 12* 17* 29* 0.66* 50* -* | 1 7 0 * 2 * 2 * 0.29 * 10 * - *
OG 1 6* 0* 2* 2* 0.33* 2* -2* | 0 * * * * * *
Elitserien (SHL) 3 138* 40* 56* 96* 0.70* 116* 36* | 3 27 9 * 10 * 19 * 0.70 * 28 * -5 *
Spengler Cup 1 4* 0* 1* 1* 0.25* 0* -* | 0 * * * * * *
U16 I-divisioona 1 -* -* -* -* -* -* -* | 0 * * * * * *
U16 SM-sarja Q 1 8* 0* 1* 1* 0.13* 4* -* | 0 * * * * * *
U18 SM-sarja 2 26* 7* 5* 12* 0.46* 52* -* | 2 22 7 * 15 * 22 * 1.00 * 30 * - *
U20 SM-liiga (U20 SM-sarja) 4 58* 19* 24* 43* 0.74* 104* -* | 1 8 0 * 2 * 2 * 0.25 * 8 * - *
WC 5 39* 7* 10* 17* 0.44* 22* 5* | 0 * * * * * *
WJC-20 1 7* 0* 0* 0* 0.00* 10* 0* | 0 * * * * * *
* Some data is missing to provide a correct summary.

Janne Niskala Career Highlights

Season
Awards by season
Transactions
DATE STATUS FROM TO SOURCE
04/04/2019
04/04/2019 Confirmed Lukko Retired
04/06/2018
04/06/2018 Extension Lukko Lukko
02/17/2017
02/17/2017 Extension Lukko Lukko
06/27/2014
06/27/2014 Confirmed Atlant Mytishchi Lukko
05/13/2013
05/13/2013 Confirmed Dynamo Minsk Atlant Mytishchi
10/09/2012
10/09/2012 Confirmed Atlant Mytishchi Dynamo Minsk
05/04/2011
05/04/2011 Confirmed Metallurg Magnitogorsk Atlant Mytishchi
Player Biography and Trivia

Number 28 retired by Lukko

Cult/Star player for EV Zug

Cult/Star player for Lukko

Cult/Star player for Manchester Storm

Career transactions
- 2010-06-04 • Signed to a one-year contract by Metallurg Magnitogorsk
- 2008-11-13 • Signed to a two-year contract by Frölunda
- 2008-07-02 • Re-signed to a one-year contract by the Tampa Bay Lightning
- 2008-06-30 • Traded to the Tampa Bay Lightning for a 2009 6th round pick (Dave Labrecque)
- 2008-06-24 • Traded to the Philadelphia Flyers for Triston Grant and a 2009 7th round pick (Maxwell Tardy)
- 2008-06-07 • Signed to a one-year contract by HK Atlant
- 2007-05-23 • Signed to a one-year contract by the Nashville Predators
- 2006-03-24 • Signed to a two-year contract by Färjestad

Other memorable dates
- 2008-10-11 • Scored first career NHL goal (at Carolina vs Michael Leighton)
- 2008-10-04 • Made NHL debut (at NY Rangers; 16:13 TOI)
- 2006-09-21 • Scored first career Elitserien goal (at Mora vs Juha Pitkämäki)
- 2006-09-18 • Made Elitserien debut (vs Luleå)