About Ville Nieminen
Ville Juhani Nieminen (born April 6, 1977) is a Finnish former professional ice hockey forward who played over 400 games in the National Hockey League. == Playing career == Stanley Cup Champion Ville Nieminen started his professional hockey career with Tappara in the Finnish SM-liiga, in the 1994–95 season. He was drafted by the Colorado Avalanche as their third-round pick, #78 overall, in the 1997 NHL entry draft. Nieminen spent three seasons in the AHL with the Hershey Bears before moving to the NHL. Known for his non-stop motor mouth and aggressive in-your-face style of play, Nieminen was infamous as an annoying opponent on the ice, whose style was heavily reminiscent of Esa Tikkanen. Nieminen was also known for a relaxed personality and his trademark odd sense of humour outside the rink. Nieminen played for several teams in the NHL. Notably, he was a part of the Colorado Avalanche 2001 Stanley Cup winning team, putting up 10 points and 20 PIM in their playoff run. He spent the 2004–05 lockout season playing for his home team, Tappara. He signed with the New York Rangers for the 2005–06 NHL season and was traded to San Jose on March 8, 2006. He represented Finland in international play at the 2004 World Cup of Hockey, and when he was unable to compete at the 2005 IIHF World Championships, he provided commentary on Finnish television with fellow NHL player Tuomo Ruutu. Ville is a popular colour commentator due to his sense of humour and knowledge of the game.
Biography source: Wikipedia. The profile adds birthday-specific historical context from the Celebs Birthday Today editorial database.