San Jose Blocker
Antero Niittymaki is a former National Hockey league goaltender. Drafted in the 6th round, 168th overall by the Philadelphia Flyers in the 1998 NHL Entry Draft, Niittymaki made his NHL debut with the Flyers during the 2003-2004 season and played for the team until 2009. During his time with the Flyers, he was often used as a backup goaltender and had some success. After leaving the Flyers, Niittymaki had stints with several other NHL teams, including the Tampa Bay Lightning and the San Jose Sharks. He also had a brief stint with the Finnish national team in international competitions. In addition to his NHL career, Niittymaki played in various European leagues, including the Finnish Liiga and the Swedish Hockey League (SHL). He retired from professional hockey in 2015. Niittymaki had a respectable career as a goaltender in the NHL and is remembered for his contributions to the teams he played for during his time in North America.