Scott Niedermayer not moving, but nothing else is sure
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You can ignore trade rumors that involve Ducks defenseman Scott Niedermayer. He’s not going anywhere.
A source with knowledge of the situation confirmed Niedermayer has been told he won’t be moved before Wednesday’s noon PST trade deadline. That echoes an assertion made Saturday by the highly reliable Pierre Lebrun during Hockey Night in Canada’s Hot Stove intermission show.
Niedermayer’s contract expires after this season but he hasn’t ruled out returning next season because he is intrigued by the idea of playing for the Canadian Olympic team in Vancouver, his hometown. He has not been his usual smooth, steady self this season but part of that can be attributed to mistakes he’s making while trying to do the jobs of three people on a porous defense.
One especially hot topic on Hot Stove was thrown out by Al Strachan. He said the Blackhawks are willing to let prize defenseman Brian Campbell go because Campbell isn’t getting along with Coach Joel Quenneville, but fellow panelist Mike Milbury tried to shoot it down. And it is difficult to imagine the Blackhawks dealing Campbell after they committed $56.8 million to him over eight years.
Lebrun, formerly of Canadian Press and now with espn.com, also said he’d heard the St. Louis Blues are trying to acquire Chris Pronger from the Ducks and that the deal might work because Pronger’s wife is from St. Louis.
Lebrun added that he’d heard the Bruins and the Ducks had talked about Pronger but the Ducks want too much (we’ve heard Mark Stuart, prospect Joe Colborne and a first-round pick for Pronger and Travis Moen). He said the Bruins instead might pursue Toronto defenseman Tomas Kaberle--a suggestion he backed by saying Maple Leafs General Manager Brian Burke was at the Bruins-Capitals game today in Boston. But the Bruins have salary cap problems that could make that deal tough to swing.
The panelists also said that Colorado is shopping right wing Milan Hejduk, a proven goal scorer who has one season left after this one at $3.9 million. However, he does have a no-movement clause.
Just a thought here--but wouldn’t he look good in a Kings uniform? And the Kings have been scouting the Avalanche lately, though that could be to look at gritty left wing Ryan Smyth. He has a no-movement clause in his contract and would have to approve any trade destination.
Phoenix defenseman Derek Morris, who was pulled from the Coyotes’ lineup Saturday, will be traded. With Niedermayer off the market, look for New Jersey to acquire him. Also expected to switch teams is New York Islanders winger Bill Guerin, also pulled before his team’s game Saturday.
--Helene Elliott