The future Hall of Famer may turn 36 years of age before the season starts, but shows no signs of slowing down. Niedermayer scored 14 goals, added 45 assists, all while averaging almost 27 minutes of ice time per game. Niedermayer may be relied upon even more for the upcoming season with the loss of defensive partner Chris Pronger. Niedermayer should be a top five defensemen in most fantasy leagues.
Niedermayer was on the brink of retirement before returning to the Ducks in mid-December and playing in 48 regular season games. Despite limited time on the ice, he was selected to the All-Star team, but fantasy owners that had stashed him away following their drafts were disappointed with his modest production - 25 points (8 G, 17 A) and a minus-2 rating. In his three campaigns with the Ducks, Niedermayer has a mere plus-12 mark over 209 games, a slip from his days in the Devils' defense-first system in New Jersey, and it appears that his game at the offensive end is beginning to fade with age a bit. Avoid him if you have to draft him on the strength of his 69-point campaign from 2006-07, as he's much more likely to stick in the 40-50 range with a full season's worth of games.
Will he stay or will he go? Niedermayer is still worth a late-round pick, despite still being undecided about his playing future for this season. Depending on when he'd potentially return, Niedermayer still has the ability to produce like an elite fantasy blueliner. Last season he posted 69 points (15 goals and 54 assists) in 79 games, so he's a much better investment than most later-round darts out there.
Niedermayer was one of the best defenseman in the NHL in 2005-06, scoring 63 points and accumulating 96 PIM in 82 games. Niedermayer seems to have found his niche in Anaheim, as last season was a career high in points. And with Chris Pronger joining him in 2006-07, his numbers could increase even more.
Call it brotherly love, as Niedermayer reportedly turned down more lucrative offers in order to play with his brother, Rob. Niedermayer, a two-time Stanley Cup champion with the Devils and Norris Trophy winner in 2003-04, is the best offensive defenseman in the game. And don't overlook the importance the 32-year-old will play on the Ducks' top power-play unit this season -- he'll make any linemate much better. Niedermayer, who spent his first 13 seasons with the Devils, tallied 54 points in 2003-04, which was the second-most in his career. With the defensive trap all but dead in the league, Niedermayer could elevate his game to the 60-point plateau.
