Niedermayer at the 2006 NHL Awards ceremony.
Born	August 31, 1973 (1973-08-31) (age 36), Edmonton, AB
Height Weight	6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) 200 lb (91 kg; 14 st 4 lb)
Position	Defence
Shoots	Left
NHL team F. teams	Anaheim Ducks New Jersey Devils
Ntl. team	Canada
NHL Draft	3rd overall, 1991 New Jersey Devils
Pro career	1991 – present

Scott Niedermayer (born August 31, 1973) is a Canadian ice hockey defenceman and team captain of the Anaheim Ducks of the National Hockey League (NHL). Niedermayer is known for his skating stride, and knack for leading or joining the offensive rush. He is considered to be one of the top defensemen in the league. Though he was born in Edmonton, Alberta, Niedermayer grew up in Cranbrook, British Columbia. He is the older brother of New Jersey Devils forward Rob Niedermayer and cousin of Edmonton Oilers defenceman Jason Strudwick. As of 2007, Niedermayer is the only player to take home every major North American and international championship in his career; he has won the Memorial Cup, World Junior Championship gold, World Championship gold, Olympic gold, the Stanley Cup and the World Cup.^[1]

[edit] Playing career

Niedermayer was drafted in the first round of the 1991 NHL Entry Draft by the New Jersey Devils with the third overall selection from the Kamloops Blazers of the Western Hockey League (WHL). He was considered one of the most promising and offensively talented defenceman ever drafted out of the Canadian Hockey League (CHL). The Devils drafted Niedermayer using the first round draft pick they had previously acquired from the Toronto Maple Leafs in exchange for Tom Kurvers on October 16, 1989.

After playing an initial 4 games with the Devils in the 1991–92 season, Niedermayer recorded 11 goals and 40 points in his rookie campaign in 1992–93, enough to be named to the NHL All-Rookie Team. He improved to 46 points in his second NHL season in 1993–94 and embarked on a lengthy playoff run with the Devils to the semifinals, where they were defeated by eventual Stanley Cup champions, the New York Rangers in seven games. Niedermayer and the Devils followed their near berth in the Stanley Cup Finals with another playoff run the following season in 1995. Facing the Detroit Red Wings in the Finals, the Devils swept the series to win the first Stanley Cup in franchise history and Niedermayer's first of his career.

Niedermayer then recorded 33- and 35-point campaigns the next two seasons before emerging with 14 goals and 57 points in 1997–98, his most productive season with the Devils. In 2000, Niedermayer and the Devils won their second Stanley Cup, defeating the Dallas Stars. During the playoffs, Niedermayer tied a record held by both Larry Murphy and Paul Coffey for most shorthanded goals scored by a defenceman in the playoffs with 2.^{[citation needed]} The Devils reached the Finals for the second consecutive year in 2001, but were defeated by the Colorado Avalanche in seven games. After a 39-point effort in 2002–03, Niedermayer helped lead the Devils to their third Stanley Cup championship in eight years, though his brother, Rob, was on the losing end, with the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim. His 18 post-season points marked the highest playoff total of his career and tied teammate Jamie Langenbrunner for the league lead.

Niedermayer battles for the puck with Scott Hannan of the San Jose Sharks in his first season in Anaheim.

In 2003–04, Niedermayer put together his second 50-point season with 14 goals and 40 assists. With fellow defencemen Scott Stevens and Brian Rafalski out of the lineup for extended periods for the Devils during the season, he became all the more valuable for the club.^[2] He was also given the captaincy in Stevens' absence, beginning on January 9, 2004.^[2] That season, Niedermayer won the Norris Trophy as the league's top defenceman, ending Nicklas Lidstrom's three-year hold on the award.

Due to the 2004–05 NHL lockout, Niedermayer remained inactive the following season. Then, becoming an unrestricted free agent in the 2005 off-season, Niedermayer ended his twelve-season tenure with the Devils, signing with the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim to a four-year, $27 million contract on August 4, 2005.^[3] It was reported that New Jersey had offered him a contract that would have made him the highest paid player on the team with a league-maximum salary of $7.8 million, but his desire to play alongside his brother Rob, who had played against the Devils in the 2003 Finals with Anaheim, outweighed the financial advantages.^[3] Before the start of the 2005–06 season, he was named the team's captain, succeeding Steve Rucchin, who had departed for the New York Rangers. In his first season with the Ducks, Niedermayer recorded a then-career-high of 63 points and helped carry the Mighty Ducks to the Western Conference Finals where they were eliminated by the Edmonton Oilers.

Niedermayer with the Ducks in 2006.

The following season, in 2006–07, Niedermayer was joined on the Ducks' blueline by another Norris Trophy-winner, Chris Pronger, who was an integral part of the Ducks' playoff defeat to the Oilers. The tandem of Pronger and Niedermayer helped the newly-named Anaheim Ducks set franchise records in almost all categories, with Niedermayer also improving on his previous career-high in points with 15 goals and 59 points. He then helped Anaheim win their first Stanley Cup, defeating the Ottawa Senators 4-1 in the finals. Niedermayer's leadership and prowess on the ice, scoring 11 points in 21 games, garnered him the Conn Smythe Trophy as the playoff MVP. Playing with brother Rob, the two became the first brothers to win the Stanley Cup together since Duane and Brent Sutter won the Stanley Cup in 1982 and 1983 with the New York Islanders.

Niedermayer (left) presenting George W. Bush with a Ducks jersey following their 2007 Stanley Cup championship.

Though he had just won his fourth Stanley Cup and had recorded personal statistical bests, Niedermayer announced on June 19, 2007, that he was contemplating retirement.^[4][5] With training camp approaching, on September 6, 2007, he held a press conference where he stated he is still undecided on his playing status. As training camp then began on September 11, he was subsequently suspended by the Ducks.^[6] This was, however, for salary-cap reasons and not as a punitive measure.^[7] In April 2008, it was reported that the Ducks had fined him $500,000 for missing the training camp.^[8] As a result of his seeming retirement, he was replaced by Chris Pronger as team captain on September 28.

Niedermayer remained undecided until 28 games into the Ducks' 2007–08 season, when he announced on December 5, 2007, that he would, in fact, return and play for the remainder of the campaign.^[9] Later in the season, teammate Teemu Selanne, who had also held out during the season as he contemplated retirement, similarly announced his return to the team. Note that the late arrival of both Niedermayer and Selanne was curious way for the Ducks to avoid salary cap issues during the 2007-08 season. Playing in a limited 48 games, Niedermayer recorded 25 points. Going into the 2008 playoffs as defending champions, the Ducks were defeated by the Dallas Stars in the opening round. Niedermayer again briefly contemplated retirement, before announcing on June 26, 2008, intentions to fulfill at least one more year of the two remaining on his contract. Before the start of the 2008–09 season, it was announced on October 7, that Niedermayer would regain team captaincy (Pronger remained captain following Niedermayer's comeback the previous season).^[10]

In the 2009 Stanley Cup Playoffs, he successfully led his 8th seeded Anaheim Ducks in beating the 1st seeded San Jose Sharks in six games. The Ducks were eliminated by the Detroit Red Wings in the semi-finals in seven games.

Niedermayer is the only Canadian player in the history of hockey to have won what many consider to be the "six major championships for Canadian players," those championships being the Stanley Cup, Memorial Cup, World Junior Ice Hockey Championship gold, IIHF World Championship gold, Olympic gold, and a World Cup of Hockey title.^[5]

[edit] Personal life

Niedermayer and his wife Lisa have four sons: Logan John, Jackson Robert, Joshua Leo and Luke Scott.^[11]

[edit] Awards and achievements

• 1990–91 — WHL — West First All-Star Team (Kamloops Blazers)
• 1990–91 — CHL — Scholastic Player of the Year (Canadian major junior)
• 1991–92 — WHL — West First All-Star Team (Kamloops Blazers)
• 1992 — Memorial Cup — Stafford Smythe Memorial Trophy (MVP)
• 1992–93 — NHL All-Rookie Team (defenceman)
• 1994–95 — Stanley Cup (New Jersey Devils)
• 1997–98 — Played in NHL All-Star Game
• 1997–98 — NHL — Second All-Star Team (defenceman)
• 1999–00 — Stanley Cup (New Jersey Devils)
• 2000–01 — Played in NHL All-Star Game
• 2002–03 — Stanley Cup (New Jersey Devils)
• 2003–04 — Played in NHL All-Star Game
• 2003–04 — NHL — First All-Star Team (defenceman)
• 2003–04 — NHL — James Norris Memorial Trophy (Defenceman of the Year)
• 2006–07 — Nominated as Starter for NHL All-Star Game (but did not play)
• 2006–07 — NHL — Conn Smythe Trophy (Playoff MVP)
• 2006–07 — NHL — First All-Star Team (defenceman)
• 2006–07 — Stanley Cup (Anaheim Ducks)
• 2007–08 — Played in NHL All-Star Game
• 2008–09 — Played in NHL All-Star Game (Starter)

[edit] Movements

• June 9, 1991 - Drafted by the New Jersey Devils in the 1st round, 3rd overall.
• August 4, 2005 - Signed by the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim as a free agent.

[edit] Career statistics

[edit] International play

Medal record
Competitor for Canada
Men's ice hockey
Olympic Games
Gold	2002 Salt Lake City	Ice hockey
World Championships
Gold	2004 Czech Republic	Ice hockey
World Cup
Gold	2004 World Cup of Hockey	Ice hockey
Silver	1996 World Cup of Hockey	Ice hockey
World Junior Championships
Gold	1991 Canada	Ice hockey

Played for Canada in:

• 1991 World Junior Championships (gold medal)
• 1992 World Junior Championships
• 1996 World Cup of Hockey (silver medal)
• 2002 Winter Olympics (gold medal)
• 2004 World Championships (gold medal)
• 2004 World Cup of Hockey (gold medal)

International statistics

[edit] See also

• List of family relations in the NHL
• Rob Niedermayer
• List of NHL players with 1000 games played

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Scott Niedermayer's career stats at The Internet Hockey Database
• Scott Niedermayer at ESPN.com

• Anaheim Ducks profile
• Scott Niedermayer's NHL player profile
• NHLPA profile