Damn.  I don’t want to say I told you so, but…

Posted by mudshark from Divetown, Colorado on 09/17/08 at 11:23 AM ET

So the difference between a 7th round pick and absolutely nothing for Schneider would appear to be very minimal. Or, at the very least, teams know that since his salary will still be on the Ducks’ cap in the minors (multi-year deals for 35+ year olds do that), and since the Ducks are intent on bringing Selanne back, you can bet that there will be better deals to be had.

Is there any option left though? Isn’t the only solution for the Ducks to pay for half his salary? You couldn’t think of trading him down there, could you, and risk that when you get Schneider, another team takes him back on recall waivers and the Ducks chuckle to themselves? This looks very much like a team painted into a corner, ah the brief period of excitement .

Posted by SENShobo from Waterloo, ON on 09/17/08 at 11:25 AM ET

that’s a little surprising. schneider is a great player. i thought for sure the Kings would snatch him. i think they’re still under the minimal salary cap.

Posted by josh from tampa, fl on 09/17/08 at 11:34 AM ET

I expect we’ll have to see a Schneider + 1st for some teams 7th rounder type of deal if Burke is really serious about bringing back Selanne.

Posted by Mike on 09/17/08 at 11:36 AM ET

if Burke is really serious about bringing back Selanne.

It’s not even a Selanne issue.  Burke had better be serious about getting below the salary cap, that’s for sure.

Posted by Earl Sleek from Anaheim, CA on 09/17/08 at 11:39 AM ET

Earl - a heck of a good point.  I assumed that worst case, Marchant could be waived.  I see that even his entire salary would not solve the problem, however.  Is Nieds confirmed to be coming back?  I’m wondering if Burke wouldn’t be better off just waiving him and being done with it.

Posted by Mike on 09/17/08 at 11:44 AM ET

I’ll assume you’re talking about waiving Rob, but considering Scott came to play with his brother, do you not think it would be a classless move for Burke to dispatch with Rob to cover his inability to balance his cap? Would love to see how that would play out, only I respect the Niedermayers enough that I’d really rather not.

Posted by SENShobo from Waterloo, ON on 09/17/08 at 11:58 AM ET

Actually, I was referring to Scotty N.

Posted by Mike on 09/17/08 at 11:59 AM ET

I think it’s a sure thing for S. Niedermayer this year - he specifically mentioned during the offseason that he wasn’t going to leave the Ducks hanging this season.

I thought the Kings would surely pick him up, too - they have the money for this season, and beyond that there is no committment at all.

Posted by Baroque from Michigan on 09/17/08 at 12:11 PM ET

One thing to keep under consideration with the Kings is that AEG has put them on a cash budget (not cap, cash) of around $40 mil…

http://www.insidesocal.com/kings/2008/09/contracts-budgets-etc.html

It’s possible that Schneider’s contract, as it stands, might put them over that. It’ll be interesting to see if re-entry waivers happen here.

Posted by theartfullodger on 09/17/08 at 12:48 PM ET

Scptt Niedermayer confiremd that he’d be back in June:
http://www.kuklaskorner.com/index.php/hockey/comments/niedermayer_back/

Posted by NHLJeff from Boston, MA on 09/17/08 at 12:51 PM ET

Burke destroyed Vancouver, it is only a matter of time until he does it to Anaheim.  The only thing he did for the organization to win a cup was bring in Pronger.  The previous managment in addition to a lousy team and high draft picks did the rest.

Posted by Servo from Dallas on 09/17/08 at 03:09 PM ET

The only thing he did for the organization to win a cup was bring in Pronger.  The previous managment in addition to a lousy team and high draft picks did the rest.

Well, there were additions in Scott Niedermayer, Teemu Selanne, Todd Marchant, Francois Beauchemin, Sean O’Donnell, Travis Moen, and Brad May on that cup-winning team, and he did shed Sergei Fedorov, Petr Sykora, Steve Rucchin, Mike Leclerc, Sandis Ozolinsh, Vitaly Vishnevski, Joffrey Lupul, and Ruslan Salei, but who needs details?

Posted by Earl Sleek from Anaheim, CA on 09/17/08 at 03:14 PM ET