By the time Scott Niedermayer signed a lucrative four-year, $27,000,000 with the Anaheim Ducks in the summer of 2005, he'd won the Memorial Cup, the MVP of the Memorial Cup, a Norris Trophy, and Olympic Gold Medal and three Stanley Cups, including one against his own brother, Rob (they became the first siblings to meet each other in a Stanley Cup Final since Terry and Ken Reardon faced off back in 1946.
Drafted third overall by the New Jersey Devils in the 1991 NHL Entry Draft, the pride of Cranbrook, British Columbia, joined forces with his brother at the age of 32 by opting to leave the defensive juggernaut Devils squad for a more offensively inclined young Ducks team. Coming off the heals of the 2004-05, Niedermeyer exploded with the 63-point and 69-point seasons before winning the 2007 Stanley Cup, the fourth of his illustrious career, and won the Conn Smythe as the playoff MVP for the first and only time in his career, all while donning the "C." It was the first time ever that a club from California were crowned Cup champions.
Despite never reaching 60 points with New Jersey, he still managed to become the Devils defensive all-time leader in points. He still holds that feat today, amassing 112 goals and 476 points in 892 games spread over 13 seasons in Jersey. Niedermayer became the third Devil to has his number retired when the team lifted his No. 27 to the rafters on December 16th, 2011 to join the likes of Ken Daneyko (No. 3) and Scott Stevens (No. 4). Martin Brodeur and Patrik Elias have since joined that club.
On Monday, the Ducks announced that Niedermayer would be given the ultimate recognition, as it was announced that he and Paul Kariya would join Teemu Selanne as the only Ducks in the team's history to have their numbers retired.
The smooth-skating offensive defenceman became only the eighth player in NHL history to have his number retired by two different franchises.
The Colorado Avalanche really did retire Ray Bourque's No. 77 despite even though he only suited up for one full season with the Avs after being acquired from the Bruins to help bolster their defensive before winning the Stanley Cup in 2001.
Niedermayer played in Anaheim for only 4.5 seasons but remained on with the team as a special advisor. He's now a special assignment coach with the Ducks and was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2013, and still holds the record for most points as a defenceman in franchise history.
(h/t David Satriano)
