Update (9:15 PM): The Ducks’ site has some comments from Schneider on his decision here. (via Snapshots) - Matt
Update (5:20 PM): According to Brian Burke, Scott Niedermeyer is leaning toward retiring, so Schneider’s decision to head to Anaheim is making more sense. Is it just me or does it seem rather tactless of Burke to blab to the whole world what Niedermeyer is thinking? - Matt
TSN reports that Mathieu Schneider has signed a two-year contract with the Anaheim Ducks that will pay him $5.5 million this coming season and $5.75 the season after that.
I have to think that, if pressed, the Wings were able to offer that much themselves, so it looks like the negotiation hangups were less about the money and more about Schneider just wanting to move on. That’s what makes this deal so offensive to me, though. If he wanted a lot more money than the Wings could pay, that’s one thing, but leaving at a price the team could probably afford is an insult. And the fact that he left to go to the team that eliminated the Wings from the playoffs is even worse (if you recall, Sergei Fedorov did the same thing). I thought Schneider was better than that. I’m sure we’ll hear more on why he left and I’m sure part of it will be a lame excuse about how he doesn’t like Mike Babcock. It’s a great deal for the Ducks, who now have someone who can help fill in Scott Nidermeyer’s shoes, should he decide to retire.
Hopefully Holland will be able to re-sign Markov now and perhaps land one of the bigger-name forwards out there, if not another defenseman.