[2] In April 2019, Ilves signed Mäkiniemi to a two-year contract with a one-year extension option.
[6] Mäkiniemi in his first 14 appearances for the Hurricanes' AHL affiliate, the Chicago Wolves, posted a sparking 11–2–1 mark with a .922 save percentage and two shutouts, and he yielded two goals or less nine times, including a 41-save performance at Milwaukee on 22 October 2021, to earn a 3–2 win in his AHL debut.
[citation needed] On 13 July 2022, Mäkiniemi, Steven Lorentz and a third-round pick in the 2023 NHL Entry Draft were traded to the San Jose Sharks in exchange for Brent Burns and Lane Pederson.
[9] At the conclusion of his contract with the Sharks, Mäkiniemi left as a free agent and was un-signed over the summer.
On 30 August 2024, he accepted an invitation to attend the Philadelphia Flyers training camp for the 2024–25 season on a professional tryout,[10] later agreeing to a one-year contract on 24 September.