Philadelphia Flyers reportedly sign goaltender Eetu Mäkiniemi to one-year, two-way contract

Just a day after making his first appearance in a Philadelphia Flyers sweater, the team has signed goalie Eetu Mäkiniemi to a one-year, two-way contract, according to a report from PuckPedia on Tuesday night.

The #Flyers signed 25 y/o G6 UFA G Eetu Makiniemi to 1 year deal

NHL 775K
Minors 200K

Was with Flyers on PTO

Rep'd by Murray Koontz @WD_sportsagency

900 SV% in 18 AHL GPhttps://t.co/QLL0eb23aa

— PuckPedia (@PuckPedia) September 24, 2024

The contract is worth $775,000 at the NHL level and $200,000 at the AHL level. Mäkiniemi needs to play 26 NHL games this season to reach RFA status in the offseason. If not, he will become a Group 6 UFA, which will likely happen unless a long-term issue affects Sam Ersson or Ivan Fedotov.

Mäkiniemi originally signed a PTO with the Flyers ahead of Training Camp in the wake of Alexei Kolosov not reporting.

Drafted in 2017 in the fourth round by the Carolina Hurricanes, the 25-year-old previously played in the San Jose Sharks organization for two seasons before joining the Flyers. Mäkiniemi picked up his first NHL win on December 9th, 2022 against the Anaheim Ducks, leading the Sharks to a 6-1 win by stopping 23 of 24 shots.

Last season, Mäkiniemi spent his time between the AHL’s San Jose Barracuda and ECHL’s Wichita Thunder. The Vaanta, Finland native went 8-8-0 with a .900 SV%, 3.14 GAA, and 3 shutouts in 18 games with the Barracuda, and 1-2-0 with a .907 SV% and 3.39 GAA in 3 games with the Thunder.

Mäkiniemi has had a strong camp with the Flyers and appeared in his first preseason game on Monday against the Montréal Canadiens, earning the start. He stopped 13 of 14 shots faced before making way for Cal Petersen in the Flyers’ 5-0 loss at Bell Centre.

Depending on how the rest of camp goes, Mäkiniemi could now find himself in the drivers’ seat for the starting role in AHL Lehigh Valley and potentially be the first NHL recall option in case the Flyers need their third goalie.