Right now, the Anaheim Ducks are stacked on defense. But that wasn’t always the case. Let’s take a look at the top defensemen in Anaheim history.
1. Scott Niedermayer
I know, I know. These lists usually start from the bottom and work their way up. But where would the suspense be?
Is there any question who the number one defenseman of all time is in Anaheim? To be honest, I preferred number two on the list. But there’s no way I’m going to deny the man who’s number is going into the rafters at Honda Center this season.
Scott Niedermayer was a slick-skating defenseman who drove possession and offense for the Ducks. He captained the 2007 Ducks to the Stanley Cup championship. He remains with the team as a coach. He is often seen wandering the halls in San Diego in anonymity while watching the Ducks minor-league blue-liners play. He even housed the Ducks this current top defenseman, Cam Fowler, when he initially entered the league.
Anyone who still doubts the greatness of Anaheim’s former general manager Brian Burke needs to remember how Niedermayer ended up in Anaheim. Burke was the brand new executive vice president and general manager of the Ducks in 2005. Rob Niedermayer‘s contract had expired.
Burke signed Rob to a four-year contract. Why would he do that for a checking line winger? Well, Scott was also a free agent. In fact, his team had offered him more annual money and much more term on a contract. But Burke played the family card and landed the Hall-of-Famer. Scott Niedermayer’s place in Ducks history is now fixed.