Eliteprospects
Finland Topi Niemelä
#47 Toronto Marlies / AHL - 24/25
1-time U20 WJC Silver Medal 1
1-time U20 WJC Bronze Medal 1
1-time U20 WJC Best Defenseman 1
Date of Birth
Mar 25, 2002
Position
D
Age
22
Height
6'0" / 183 cm
Place of Birth
Oulu, FIN
Weight
181 lbs / 82 kg
Nation
Finland
Shoots
R
Youth Team
Kärpät
Contract
24/25
Cap Hit
$856,667 Powered by
NHL Rights
Toronto Maple Leafs Toronto Maple Leafs / Signed
Drafted
2020 round 3 #64 overall by Toronto Maple Leafs
Agency
PREMIUM

He takes phenomenal care of the puck, can distribute through layers in the neutral zone, isn't afraid to use the centre of the ice, and just displays a high level of competence with the puck on his stick. Niemela smartly scans the ice with shoulder checks as he skates to collect the puck, then smartly and decisively acts in a way that quickly moves play in the other direction. -EliteProspects 2020 NHL Draft Guide

Father: Tapio Niemelä

© Photo: Steven Ellis/Daily Faceoff

Use/Embed statistics

Topi Niemelä Statistics

S Team League GP G A TP PIM +/-   POST GP G A TP PIM +/-
2016-17 Kärpät U16 U16 SM-sarja Q 1* 0* 0* 0* 0* -* |
Kärpät U16 U16 SM-sarja 2* 2* 4* 6* 0* -* |
2017-18 Kärpät U16 U16 SM-sarja 4* 6* 6* 12* 0* -* | Playoffs 4 2 3 5 0 -
Kärpät U18 U18 SM-sarja 36* 2* 7* 9* 36* -* | Playoffs 1 0 0 0 0 -
Finland U16 (all) International-Jr 11* 2* 8* 10* 10* -* |
2018-19 Kärpät U18 U18 SM-sarja 6* 1* 5* 6* 18* -* | Playoffs 1 0 1 1 0 -
Kärpät U20 U20 SM-liiga 39* 1* 7* 8* 16* 12* | Playoffs 11 1 3 4 2 8
Finland U17 WHC-17 6* 0* 1* 1* 2* -* |
Finland U17 (all) International-Jr 12* 0* 3* 3* 4* -* |
Finland U18 WJC-18 5* 1* 0* 1* 0* -2* |
Finland U18 (all) International-Jr 16* 2* 3* 5* 18* -* |
2019-20 Kärpät U20 U20 SM-liiga 1* 0* 1* 1* 0* 1* | Playoffs 1 0 0 0 0 -2
Kärpät Liiga 43* 1* 6* 7* 8* 4* |
Finland U18 (all) International-Jr 9* 0* 4* 4* 2* -* |
Finland U20 (all) International-Jr 9* 0* 4* 4* 2* -* |
2020-21 Kärpät U20 U20 SM-sarja 6* 1* 3* 4* 0* 0* |
Kärpät Liiga 15* 0* 4* 4* 2* 3* | Playoffs 4 0 2 2 0 -1
Finland U20 WJC-20 7* 2* 6* 8* 6* 4* |
2021-22 Kärpät Liiga 48* 10* 22* 32* 20* 8* | Playoffs 6 0 1 1 2 0
Finland U20 (all) International-Jr 9* 2* 5* 7* 8* 1* |
Finland U20 “A” WJC-20 7* 0* 6* 6* 2* 1* |
2022-23 Kärpät Liiga 58* 8* 10* 18* 12* 0* | Playoffs 3 0 0 0 4 -3
Toronto Marlies AHL 6* 1* 1* 2* 0* 0* | Playoffs 7 2 3 5 2 4
Finland (all) International 2* 0* 0* 0* 0* -2* |
2023-24 Toronto Marlies AHL 68* 8* 31* 39* 43* 3* | Playoffs 3 0 0 0 2 -1
2024-25 Toronto Marlies AHL 7* 0* 3* 3* 6* -1* |
Projected AHL 71* 0* 30* 30* 61* -10* |

Topi Niemelä Tournament Statistics

S Team League GP G A TP PIM +/-   POST GP G A TP PIM +/-
2019-20 Kärpät Champions HL 4* 0* 2* 2* 2* 1* |
Finland U18 Hlinka Gretzky Cup 3* 0* 3* 3* 0* 0* |
2021-22 Finland U20 (all) “A” WJC-20 Cancelled 2* 1* 0* 1* 4* 6* |
2022-23 Finland EHT 2* 0* 0* 0* 0* -2* |

Topi Niemelä Career Totals

League Years GP G A TP PPG PIM +/- | Years GP G A TP PPG PIM +/-
AHL 3 81* 9* 35* 44* 0.54* 49* 2* | 2 10 2 * 3 * 5 * 0.50 * 4 * 3 *
Champions HL 1 4* 0* 2* 2* 0.50* 2* 1* | 0 * * * * * *
EHT 1 2* 0* 0* 0* 0.00* 0* -2* | 0 * * * * * *
Hlinka Gretzky Cup 1 3* 0* 3* 3* 1.00* 0* 0* | 0 * * * * * *
International 1 2* 0* 0* 0* 0.00* 0* -2* | 0 * * * * * *
International-Jr 4 66* 6* 27* 33* 0.50* 44* 1* | 0 * * * * * *
Liiga 4 164* 19* 42* 61* 0.37* 42* 15* | 3 13 0 * 3 * 3 * 0.23 * 6 * -4 *
U16 SM-sarja 2 6* 8* 10* 18* 3.00* 0* -* | 1 4 2 * 3 * 5 * 1.25 * 0 * - *
U16 SM-sarja Q 1 1* 0* 0* 0* 0.00* 0* -* | 0 * * * * * *
U18 SM-sarja 2 42* 3* 12* 15* 0.36* 54* -* | 2 2 0 * 1 * 1 * 0.50 * 0 * - *
U20 SM-sarja (U20 SM-liiga) 3 46* 2* 11* 13* 0.28* 16* 13* | 2 12 1 * 3 * 4 * 0.33 * 2 * 6 *
WHC-17 1 6* 0* 1* 1* 0.17* 2* -* | 0 * * * * * *
WJC-18 1 5* 1* 0* 1* 0.20* 0* -2* | 0 * * * * * *
WJC-20 2 14* 2* 12* 14* 1.00* 8* 5* | 0 * * * * * *
WJC-20 Cancelled 1 2* 1* 0* 1* 0.50* 4* 6* | 0 * * * * * *
* Some data is missing to provide a correct summary.

Topi Niemelä Career Highlights

Season
Awards by season
Transactions
DATE STATUS FROM TO SOURCE
05/13/2022
05/13/2022 Confirmed Kärpät Toronto Maple Leafs
12/29/2021
12/29/2021 Extension Kärpät Kärpät
03/04/2021
03/04/2021 Extension Kärpät Kärpät
05/16/2019
05/16/2019 Extension Kärpät U20 Kärpät
Player Biography and Trivia

2020 NHL Entry Draft: Ranked #40 by Elite Prospects

2020 NHL Entry Draft: Ranked #37 by FCHockey

2020 NHL Entry Draft: Ranked #47 by TSN/Craig Button

2020 NHL Entry Draft: Ranked #42 by McKeen's Hockey

2020 NHL Entry Draft: Ranked #38 by TSN/McKenzie

2020 NHL Entry Draft: Ranked #8 by NHL Central Scouting