Stanley Cup winning goaltender Antti Niemi will help man the pipes in San Jose this year…

The San Jose Sharks have added to their goal tending depth by signing Group III unrestricted free agent net minder Antti Niemi (AN-tee nee-YEH-mee) to a one-year contract.

Niemi, who turned 27 on Aug. 29, helped bring the Chicago Blackhawks a Stanley Cup last season, posting a 16-6 mark in 22 Stanley Cup Playoff games, to go with a 2.63 goals-against average, a .910 save percentage and with two shutouts.

During the 2009-10 regular season with Chicago, he notched a 26-7-4 mark in 39 games, with a 2.25 goals-against average (4th in the NHL) and a .912 save percentage and seven shutouts (3rd in the NHL).

“Antti’s play last season speaks for itself,” said Sharks Executive Vice President and General Manager Doug Wilson. “Our goal this summer was to create the best goaltending unit we could and we feel we have successfully done that.”

The six-foot-two, 210-pound native of Vantaa, Finland was originally signed by the Chicago Blackhawks as a free agent on May 5, 2008.