Niemi was brought into the team as a waiver claim earlier in the season after having not been able to find his feet with the Florida Panthers and Pittsburgh Penguins earlier in the year.
He played 19 games for the Canadiens, recording a .929 save percentage and 2.46 goals against average along with a 7-5-4 record. There was little expectation of him having an impact with the .797 save percentage he posted with the Penguins and the .872 mark he had in Florida but he found his game.
His play allowed the team to trade Al Montoya, sending him to the Edmonton Oilers for a conditional pick that ended up being a fourth-round pick.