Akim Aliu facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Akim Aliu |
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Aliu with the Calgary Flames in 2012
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| Born | April 24, 1989 Okene, Nigeria |
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| Height | 6 ft 4 in (193 cm) | ||
| Weight | 225 lb (102 kg; 16 st 1 lb) | ||
| Position | Right wing/Defence | ||
| Shoots | Right | ||
| team Former teams |
Free agent Calgary Flames AIK IF Amur Khabarovsk HC '05 Banská Bystrica Karlskrona HK HC Litvínov |
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| NHL Draft | 56th overall, 2007 Chicago Blackhawks |
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| Playing career | 2008–2020 2024–present |
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Akim Aliu (born April 24, 1989) is a professional ice hockey player. He was born in Nigeria and is a Ukrainian-Canadian. Aliu was picked by the Chicago Blackhawks in the 2007 NHL Entry Draft. He has played for several teams in different leagues, including the NHL with the Calgary Flames. Aliu is also known for speaking out against racism in hockey.
Contents
Early Life and Hockey Start
Moving to Canada
Akim Aliu was born in Okene, Nigeria. He grew up in Kyiv, Ukraine. His father, Tai, was from Nigeria and met Akim's mother, Larissa, who was Ukrainian, while studying in Kyiv. Akim has a brother named Edward.
When Akim was seven, his family moved to Canada. They settled in the Toronto area. This move happened because they felt uncomfortable with the political changes after the Soviet Union ended.
Learning to Play Hockey
When Akim arrived in Canada, he spoke Ukrainian and Russian. He did not speak English and had never played hockey. He got his first ice skates at a garage sale. He started playing in a local hockey league in Toronto.
Akim quickly showed a natural talent for hockey. Within a few years, he was drafted into the Ontario Hockey League (OHL). This is a major junior hockey league in Canada.
Akim Aliu's Hockey Career
Junior Hockey Challenges
Akim started his junior hockey career in the OHL in 2005. He played for the Windsor Spitfires. Early in his first season, he was involved in an incident with another player during practice. This event caused problems between Akim and his teammates.
Both players were suspended, and their coach also faced a long ban. In 2020, Akim shared that he believed he was treated unfairly because of his racial and ethnic background.
After this, Akim was traded to the Sudbury Wolves. He continued to be a player who sometimes caused controversy. Despite this, he was seen as a top prospect for the 2007 NHL Entry Draft.
Drafted by the Blackhawks
Even though he was highly rated, Akim was picked later than expected in the draft. The Chicago Blackhawks selected him 56th overall in the second round. After the draft, Akim was determined to prove that teams should have picked him earlier.
He played his best junior season with the London Knights. He scored 61 points in 60 games. After his junior season ended, he played his first professional games with the Rockford IceHogs. This team is part of the AHL.
Professional Journey
Akim signed his first professional contract with the Blackhawks in 2008. He played mostly in the AHL and ECHL. The ECHL is another professional hockey league. In 2010, his playing rights were traded to the Atlanta Thrashers.
The Thrashers team later moved and became the Winnipeg Jets. Akim then faced challenges finding a team. He even played in Austria for a short time.
Joining the Calgary Flames
Akim got a new chance with the Calgary Flames. He convinced their general manager to let him play for their AHL team, the Abbotsford Heat. He played well in a new role. The Flames then traded for his NHL rights.
Akim made his NHL debut on April 5, 2012. He earned his first point by assisting on a goal. He later scored his first two NHL goals in a game against the Anaheim Ducks. He said that his past struggles helped him grow as a player.
He played a few more games for the Flames in the 2012-2013 season. Most of his time was spent with the Abbotsford Heat. After that, he played for several other teams in the AHL and ECHL. He also played overseas in Russia, Sweden, and Slovakia.
Speaking Out Against Racism
In 2019, Akim Aliu spoke publicly about an incident from his past. He said that a coach, Bill Peters, had used racist language towards him. This happened when Peters was coaching the Rockford IceHogs. As a result of Akim speaking out, Bill Peters resigned from his coaching position.
In 2020, Akim co-founded the Hockey Diversity Alliance. He started this group with other players, like Evander Kane. Their goal is to fight against intolerance and racism in hockey.
Akim returned to professional hockey in 2024. He signed a short-term contract with the San Jose Barracuda. This team is in the AHL.
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 | ||
| 2011–12 | Colorado Eagles | ECHL | 10 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 28 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2011–12 | Abbotsford Heat | AHL | 42 | 10 | 4 | 14 | 59 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 28 | ||
| 2011–12 | Calgary Flames | NHL | 2 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 12 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2012–13 | Abbotsford Heat | AHL | 42 | 4 | 7 | 11 | 111 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2012–13 | Calgary Flames | NHL | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 14 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2013–14 | Hamilton Bulldogs | AHL | 14 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 18 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2013–14 | Hartford Wolf Pack | AHL | 9 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 7 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2013–14 | AIK IF | SHL | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 6 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2014–15 | Rochester Americans | AHL | 10 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 51 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2014–15 | Bakersfield Condors | ECHL | 15 | 2 | 7 | 9 | 24 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2014–15 | Oklahoma City Barons | AHL | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2015–16 | Amur Khabarovsk | KHL | 19 | 2 | 5 | 7 | 52 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2016–17 | Florida Everblades | ECHL | 11 | 5 | 6 | 11 | 28 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2016–17 | Atlanta Gladiators | ECHL | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 33 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2016–17 | Cleveland Monsters | AHL | 13 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 19 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2017–18 | HC '05 Banská Bystrica | Slovak | 9 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 14 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2017–18 | Karlskrona HK | SHL | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 62 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2017–18 | IK Pantern | Allsv | 6 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 16 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 8 | ||
| 2018–19 | Orlando Solar Bears | ECHL | 11 | 4 | 5 | 9 | 10 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2019–20 | HC Litvínov | ELH | 6 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2023–24 | San Jose Barracuda | AHL | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| NHL totals | 7 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 26 | — | — | — | — | — | ||||
Images for kids
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Aliu playing for AIK IF in 2014.
