Topi Niemelä

Topi Niemelä (born 25 March 2002) is a Finnish professional ice hockey defenceman currently playing for the Malmö Redhawks of the Swedish Hockey League (SHL).^[1] Niemelä was drafted 64th overall by the Maple Leafs in the 2020 NHL Entry Draft, ranking within the top ten of European skaters.^[2][3]

Topi Niemelä
Niemelä at the 2022 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships
Born	(2002-03-25) 25 March 2002 (age 23) Oulu, Finland
Height	6 ft 0 in (183 cm)
Weight	181 lb (82 kg; 12 st 13 lb)
Position	Defence
Shoots	Right
SHL team Former teams	Malmö Redhawks Oulun Kärpät
NHL draft	64th overall, 2020 Toronto Maple Leafs
Playing career	2019–present

Playing career

Following a breakout year in the Liiga with Oulun Kärpät during 2021–22 season, Niemelä was signed to a future three-year, entry-level contract with draft club, the Toronto Maple Leafs, on 13 May 2022.^[4] Niemelä returned to Oulun Kärpät for the 2022–23 season and appeared in 58 games, scoring 8 goals and 18 points. At the end of the season, he joined the Maple Leafs' American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Toronto Marlies.^[5] Niemelä attended the Maple Leafs' 2023 training camp, but was assigned to the Marlies to start the 2023–24 season.^[6]

As a pending restricted free agent after his entry-level contract with the Maple Leafs, Niemelä opted to pause his career in North America and was signed to a one-year contract with Swedish club, Malmö Redhawks of the SHL, on 23 June 2025.^[7]

International play

Medal record
Representing  Finland
Ice hockey
World Junior Championships
	2022 Canada
	2021 Canada

At the 2021 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships, Niemelä led all defensemen in points, accumulating two goals and six assists on the way to winning the bronze medal with Team Finland.^[8][9] After the end of the tournament, he was named Best Defenceman by the IIHF Directorate.^[10] He joined Team Finland again for the 2022 edition of the tournament. The team reached the gold medal game this time, playing against Team Canada, and Niemelä played a pivotal role in the game's most famous moment, when his potentially game-winning shot into a wide open Canadian net was knocked out of midair by Canadian captain Mason McTavish, preventing Finnish victory. The Finns won the silver medal.^[11]

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

				Regular season						Playoffs
Season	Team	League		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
2018–19	Oulun Kärpät	Jr. A		39	1	7	8	16		11	1	3	4	2
2019–20	Oulun Kärpät	Liiga		43	1	6	7	8		—	—	—	—	—
2019–20	Oulun Kärpät	Jr. A		1	0	1	1	0		1	0	0	0	0
2020–21	Oulun Kärpät	Liiga		15	0	4	4	2		4	0	2	2	0
2020–21	Oulun Kärpät	Jr. A		6	1	3	4	0		—	—	—	—	—
2021–22	Oulun Kärpät	Liiga		48	10	22	32	20		6	0	1	1	2
2022–23	Oulun Kärpät	Liiga		58	8	10	18	12		3	0	0	0	4
2022–23	Toronto Marlies	AHL		6	1	1	2	0		7	2	3	5	2
2023–24	Toronto Marlies	AHL		68	8	31	39	43		3	0	0	0	2
2024–25	Toronto Marlies	AHL		61	2	20	22	18		2	0	2	2	0
Liiga totals				164	19	42	61	42		13	0	3	3	6

International

Year	Team	Event		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
2018	Finland	U17		6	1	0	1	2
2019	Finland	U18		5	1	0	1	0
2019	Finland	HG18		3	0	3	3	0
2021	Finland	WJC		7	2	6	8	6
2022	Finland	WJC		7	0	6	6	2
Junior totals				28	4	15	19	10