| 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 |
Winnipeg Jets St. John's IceCaps (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 Winnipeg Jets 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]
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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.
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.[4] 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.[5] Downie was subsequently traded to the Kitchener Rangers, and Aliu to the Sudbury Wolves.
| 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 | ||||