Anaheim Ducks 25th Anniversary: Thank You, Scott Niedermayer

To end their Silver Anniversary Celebration, the Anaheim Ducks honored Scott Niedermayer for his impact on the franchise by retiring his jersey.

Twenty-eight years ago, a bright-eyed Scott Niedermayer sat in the seats of the Memorial Auditorium in Buffalo, New York. As the 1991 NHL Entry Draft began, he waited with anticipation for his name to be called. When he was drafted 3rd overall, no one could have predicted, in that moment, the significant impact he would have on the NHL during his 18 seasons with the New Jersey Devils and the Anaheim Ducks.

Entering the NHL full time, at the age of 19, an inspiring career was just beginning. He quickly made a name for himself as one of the best defensemen of his generation. Known for his smooth skating and offensive abilities as a defenseman, it wasn’t long before he aided the New Jersey Devils in winning the Stanley Cup.

Niedermayer is widely known throughout the hockey community as a dedicated and kind soul. His work ethic and commitment to his team and the game were unmatched by any other player in the league.

As Paul Kariya so graciously said during the retirement ceremony:

"“[Niedermayer] is the definition of grace under pressure, and is unquesitionably the greatest champion of our generation.”"

After 13 seasons with the New Jersey Devils, and three Stanley Cups later, Niedermayer decided it was time to move on. His reason for doing so was not typical. He was not looking for a bigger payday, nor did he need to move on to be the “star” of a franchise (he already had both in New Jersey.) The most motivating factor for Scott was the chance to win a Stanley Cup with his brother, Rob Niedermayer.

In 2003, Rob was traded to the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim after almost two seasons with the Calgary Flames. His acquisition came at a time where the Ducks had the potential to make a run to the Stanley Cup. Rob’s stellar performance during the playoff’s helped propel the Ducks into the finals. However, they fell short of winning the Cup against the New Jersey Devils in Game 7.

After the devastating loss, the Mighty Ducks lost their way, missing the playoff’s the following season. Losing Paul Kariya to the Colorado Avalanche was a major blow and the team who had once been Stanley Cup contenders was now missing a huge piece to their Stanley Cup puzzle.

Then, in 2005, Rob Niedermayer became a free agent. Also a free agent, his older brother Scott. The Ducks were well on their way to becoming contenders again with the addition of young rookies like Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry but adding Scott Niedermayer to the mix would be an opportunity for the team to turn their hopes of winning into a reality. Passing up the chance to sign one of the best defensemen in the league would have been absolute lunacy.

On August 3, 2005, the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim announced that they had signed the Niedermayer brothers to four-year contracts. After Steve Rucchin was traded to the New York Rangers, the Ducks needed a new Captain, and Scott Niedermayer, who had taken over the duties as Captain in New Jersey the season before, was the perfect candidate.