Sharks trade goaltender Antti Niemi to Stars for seventh-round pick

The San Jose Sharks have traded goaltender Antti Niemi to the Dallas Stars for a seventh-round pick in the 2015 NHL draft.

The San Jose Sharks have traded goaltender Antti Niemi to the Dallas Stars for a seventh-round pick, No. 193, in the 2015 NHL draft.

The NHL announced the move Saturday morning, during the second round of the draft. Niemi will become an unrestricted free agent on July 1, and the move gives Dallas the right to negotiate with the veteran netminder until then. 

Niemi, 31, went 31-23-7 in net for San Jose in 2014-15, with a 2.59 goals against average and .914 save percentage. Incumbent Stars goaltender Kari Lehtonen allowed 2.94 goals per game with a .903 save percentage last season.

"Antti is a proven goaltender, who has played and succeeded at the highest levels," Stars general manager Jim Nill said, according to Yahoo Sports. "He's one of the hardest working goalies out there and we look forward to working towards an agreement.”

The @SanJoseSharks trade Antti Niemi's rights to the @DallasStars in exchange for the 193rd pick. #NHLDraft pic.twitter.com/DwSJ5sifPL

— NHL (@NHL) June 27, 2015

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