Akim Aliu
| Akim Aliu | |
|---|---|
| Born | April 24, 1989 Okene, Nigeria |
| Height | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) |
| Weight | 219 lb (99 kg; 15 st 9 lb) |
| Position | Right wing |
| Shoots | Right |
| NHL team (P) Cur. team |
Calgary Flames Abbotsford Heat (AHL) |
| NHL Draft | 56th overall, 2007 Chicago Blackhawks |
| Playing career | 2008–present |
Akim Aliu (born April 24, 1989) is a professional ice hockey player currently playing in the Calgary Flames organization. Aliu was born in Okene, Nigeria. Shortly after he was born his family moved to Kiev, Ukraine. Akim's family came to Canada when he was 12. Aliu still speaks Russian with his family and is fluent.[1]
Contents |
[edit] Playing career
Aliu was drafted 56th overall during the 2007 NHL Entry Draft by the Chicago Blackhawks. During the 2006–07 season, he helped the Sudbury Wolves of the OHL reach the league championship final. Sudbury lost the series to the Plymouth Whalers.
On June 1, 2007, Aliu was traded to the London Knights in exchange for London's 2nd round pick in 2008 and a 3rd round pick in 2009.[2] After the 2007–08 season with the Knights was completed, Aliu made his professional debut, playing in two games with Blackhawks affiliate the Rockford IceHogs of the AHL.
On August 25, 2008, Aliu signed a contract with the Chicago Blackhawks. During pre-season camps, Aliu was involved in several altercations with players on ice. On January 4, 2009, Aliu was traded back to Sudbury for the Wolves' 4th round pick in 2009 and 6th round pick in 2010
On June 23, 2010, Aliu was sent to the Atlanta Thrashers along with Dustin Byfuglien, Brent Sopel, and Ben Eager, for the 24th and 54th overall picks in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft, Marty Reasoner, Joey Crabb and Jeremy Morin.[3] He later broke his hand in a bar fight in Toronto, seriously hampering his offseason training.
After being loaned for the season to the Abbotsford Heat of the AHL, he was finally traded to the Calgary Flames in exchange for John Negrin. [4]
[edit] Incident with Steve Downie
Early in the 2005–06 OHL season, Aliu was involved in an on-ice altercation with then teammate Steve Downie during a practice. Aliu and Downie fought during a practice that took place on September 28 after Downie hit Aliu with a vicious blindsiding crosscheck to the mouth, knocking out three of Aliu's teeth.[5] The incident stemmed from the then 16-year-old Aliu's refusal to take part in a hazing incident, which involved rookies being forced to stand naked in a cramped bus bathroom. The team suspended Downie for five games and Aliu for one. Following the incident, Downie was told to undergo professional counseling. Head coach Moe Mantha, Jr. was suspended by the OHL and later fired by the team, and the team was fined $35,000 by the OHL.[6] Downie was subsequently traded to the Kitchener Rangers, and Aliu to the Sudbury Wolves.
[edit] Career statistics
| Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||
| 2004–05 | Milton Icehawks | OPJHL | 2 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2005–06 | Windsor Spitfires | OHL | 18 | 3 | 4 | 7 | 25 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2005–06 | Sudbury Wolves | OHL | 29 | 7 | 6 | 13 | 54 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 7 | ||
| 2006–07 | Sudbury Wolves | OHL | 53 | 20 | 22 | 42 | 104 | 21 | 1 | 5 | 6 | 50 | ||
| 2007–08 | London Knights | OHL | 60 | 28 | 33 | 61 | 133 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 15 | ||
| 2007–08 | Rockford IceHogs | AHL | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2008–09 | London Knights | OHL | 16 | 8 | 10 | 18 | 30 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2008–09 | Sudbury Wolves | OHL | 29 | 10 | 16 | 26 | 61 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 14 | ||
| 2008–09 | Rockford IceHogs | AHL | 5 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 14 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | ||
| 2009–10 | Rockford IceHogs | AHL | 48 | 11 | 6 | 17 | 69 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2009–10 | Toledo Walleye | ECHL | 13 | 5 | 9 | 14 | 18 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 16 | ||
| 2010–11 | Chicago Wolves | AHL | 43 | 4 | 5 | 9 | 53 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2010–11 | Gwinnett Gladiators | ECHL | 16 | 12 | 8 | 20 | 22 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2010–11 | Peoria Rivermen | AHL | 16 | 5 | 4 | 9 | 20 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 6 | ||
| AHL totals | 114 | 22 | 15 | 37 | 158 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 6 | ||||
[edit] References
- ^ Koshan, Terry (2007). "Out of Africa and into the NHL". Ottawa Sun. http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Columnists/Koshan/2007/06/19/4272768-sun.html. Retrieved 2011-10-21.
- ^ "Knights acquire Aliu". London Knights. 2007-06-01. http://londonknights.com/press/display_news.asp?news=866. Retrieved 2008-10-01.[dead link]
- ^ "Blackhawks send Byfuglien to Thrashers". NHL.com. http://www.webcitation.org/5qoDpiiVo. Retrieved 2010-06-27.
- ^ Staff, Sportsnet (2012-01-30). "Jets and Flames swap players". http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/2012/01/30/jets_trade_aliu_flames_negrin/. Retrieved 2012-01-30.
- ^ "Aliu, Downie practise fight". Youtube. 2005-09-28. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sFMDWuepG7Y. Retrieved 2008-10-01.
- ^ "OHL supends coach over hazing episode". CBC.ca. 2005-10-24. http://www.cbc.ca/sports/story/2005/10/18/ohl_spitfires051018.html. Retrieved 2008-10-01.
[edit] External links
- 1989 births
- Living people
- Abbotsford Heat players
- Canadian ice hockey right wingers
- Chicago Blackhawks draft picks
- Chicago Wolves players
- Gwinnett Gladiators players
- Ice hockey players of Black African descent
- Nigerian emigrants to Canada
- Nigerian emigrants to Ukraine
- People from Kogi State
- Peoria Rivermen players
- Rockford IceHogs (AHL) players
- Sudbury Wolves alumni
- Toledo Walleye players
- Windsor Spitfires alumni
