Ducks agree with defenseman Toni Lydman on three-year, $9-million deal

Defenseman Toni Lydman, who has spent the last five seasons with the Buffalo Sabres, has agreed to a three-year, $9-million contract with the defense-challenged Ducks. They haven't confirmed it yet but are expected to announce it soon.

Lydman, who will be 33 in September, is a two-time Finnish Olympian who won a silver medal in 2006 and bronze in February at Vancouver. Among his teammates were  Ducks forwards Teemu Selanne and Saku Koivu, who became unrestricted free agents Thursday.

Are the Ducks hoping that having Lydman on the team will help persuade Selanne and Koivu to return?

Lydman is a defense-oriented defenseman, steady but not spectacular. That would still be an upgrade for the Ducks, who were thin on defense last season and lost Scott Niedermayer to retirement.

Lydman had four goals and 20 points last season and for his 660-game NHL career has 33 goals and 198 points to go with 451 penalty minutes.

More later...

-- Helene Elliott