Ducks Re-Name Scott Niedermayer Captain

[Detroit # 1 Fan 2,204]

http://tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=251961&lid...s=headlines_nhl

From being one of my all time favorites, and then pulling the trash last year, and now playing again, and as captain. The NHL should've stopped this bull. But Niedermayer will not captain 2 Stanley Cup Champions, and thats the only great thing about this.

[Elshupacabra 0]

Well, it appears that Vancouver started a fad with joke captains.

[Cern 0]

He still stands for what it means to be captain more than Pronger ever will, at least.

Edited October 8, 2008 by Cern

[Elshupacabra 0]

He still stands for more than what it means to be captain more than Pronger ever will, at least.

That's VERY true...at least it isn't Pronger anymore.

Edited October 8, 2008 by Elshupacabra

[miller76 463]

damn I was pulling for Jiggy!

[puckloo39 5,686]

Needavacation is playing?

[Z and D for the C 712]

Who is more of a joke, pronger or Niedermayer?

Joke #1, I think. It's a step up. Getzlaf should be captain I think, although he's no gem either.

Edited October 8, 2008 by Z and D for the C

[soultrain 43]

i hate the ducks. teemu sucks also.

[rage 24]

Teemu is cool.

Nobody is surprised by this. Neids still should be a great player and Captain.

[Duck Guy 86]

http://tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=251961&lid...s=headlines_nhl

From being one of my all time favorites, and then pulling the trash last year, and now playing again, and as captain. The NHL should've stopped this bull. But Niedermayer will not captain 2 Stanley Cup Champions, and thats the only great thing about this.

did you call miss cleo cuz u seem so sure of that...

[Uncle Danny 155]

i hate the ducks. teemu sucks also.

Thank you for that valuable insight.

[Hockeytown0001 7,652]

I was wondering why Pronger went back to the A this year.

[Guest GordieSid&Ted]

http://tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=251961&lid...s=headlines_nhl

From being one of my all time favorites, and then pulling the trash last year, and now playing again, and as captain. The NHL should've stopped this bull. But Niedermayer will not captain 2 Stanley Cup Champions, and thats the only great thing about this.

People have alot of nerve still badmouthing Niedermayer and insinuating what he did last year was contrived or that he colluded with Brian Burke to help the Ducks. NO EVIDENCE that I am aware of backs any of the accusations or inflammatory bulls*** being spewed by less intelligent Wings fans around here.

Burke gave a press conference later in the year on what happened with Scott. He said Scott left him basically in the dark on his decisions and that Burke got pissed off when he found out through a third party that Scott was ready to come back.

It could be bulls***. But I watched the presser and I believe Burke was being truthful.

IMO, there's nothing more to this situation other than a player not being able to come to grips with leaving the game he loves. Ever ******* heard of Brett Favre people? It happens.

IMO, they did the right thing last year not stripping the "C" from Pronger. IMO, Pronger could've or should've offered it to Scott as he truly was their Captain. That being said, I don't know if Prongs offered it to him or not so I cannot say.

IMO, the Ducks are doing the right thing now honoring a long time, great player in Niedermayer by renaming him Captain. Getzlaf's time will come. But not while Nieds is still suiting up for them.

It's one thing to know something is fishy. It's another for it to simply look fishy or not agree with your own thoughts. Until somebody proves to me that the Ducks, Burke, Scott did something shady in collusion with each other to circumvent the cap then i'll give them the benefit of the doubt. That's the great thing about America. You're innocent until proven guilty.

So somebody proffer up some cold, hard evidence please before continuing this bulls***, phony hatred of the Ducks, Burke, Scott for something you think happened but cannot prove.

If you want to hate the Ducks, hate them for something legitimate like them beating us when we should've won. Like them playing dirty and trying to rough us up. At least that's the reason why I hate them and want to beat the s*** out of them every single time we play.

[NeverForgetMac25 483]

All hatred and rage aside (which is what this thread has seem to become), I find this move to be poor. I don't care for Pronger or the cheapshots he just can't seem to get enough of, but to strip him of his captaincy after one season where the team as a whole just wasn't balanced enough to repeat is weak, IMO.

Niedermayer bailed on his team last year until mid-season and the team moved on with Pronger as a result. To strip a player of that role with Prongers history of leadership seems like a low blow to him unless something transpired in the locker room that we don't know about.

[egroen 384]

IMO, there's nothing more to this situation other than a player not being able to come to grips with leaving the game he loves. Ever ******* heard of Brett Favre people? It happens.

Two players I lost a lot of respect for. I would be extremely pissed and let down if Yzerman or Lidstrom ever did something like that.

I do fully believe he was not colluding with Burke, however, because that team is still suffering from the salary cap hell Neidermayer helped put them in.

[Guest GordieSid&Ted]

All hatred and rage aside (which is what this thread has seem to become), I find this move to be poor. I don't care for Pronger or the cheapshots he just can't seem to get enough of, but to strip him of his captaincy after one season where the team as a whole just wasn't balanced enough to repeat is weak, IMO.

Niedermayer bailed on his team last year until mid-season and the team moved on with Pronger as a result. To strip a player of that role with Prongers history of leadership seems like a low blow to him unless something transpired in the locker room that we don't know about.

Good point. Unless we're able to find out what transpired, if anything, we can't say for sure. IMO, i'm pretty sure the Ducks, their coach, somebody would've had the discussion with Chris about the "C". For all we know Pronger might've been more than happy to let Scott have it. A sign of respect? A sign of being a good leader? IMO, why should we feel bad for Pronger or think of this as a poor or disrespectful move by the Ducks if Pronger himself is totally fine with it. I don't know so I don't speculate.

Like F.Michael put it, I think it was worse what the Stars did to Modano, far worse. Now look at the 'Ning, they've bounced letters off of Vinny so many times his head is probably spinning.

Short of Pronger coming out publicly to say its no big deal and he's totally fine with the decision, we'll never know if this was a "good" or "low blow" move by the Ducks. IMO, this is a non issue for the Ducks and probably talked about more on this board than on theirs. Not a big deal IMO.

[Guest GordieSid&Ted]

Two players I lost a lot of respect for. I would be extremely pissed and let down if Yzerman or Lidstrom ever did something like that.

I do fully believe he was not colluding with Burke, however, because that team is still suffering from the salary cap hell Neidermayer helped put them in.

That's a great point and one that us non conspiracy theorists have been pointing out since last year. Look at the moves they had to make to adjust. They gave away Bryzgalov for pete's sake and McDonald for Weight? Are you kidding? During the height of the whole conspiracy one need only look at the dire situation the Ducks were in and rationally conclude "why the f***" would they do that to themselves? It made absolutely no sense. Which for me made Burke's presser even more believable that he had no idea what Scott wanted to do.

egroen, what exactly would "piss you off" about Stevie or Nick unretiring mid-season? Surely you have followed sports long enough to see the plethora of superstars retire, only to unretire. Michael Jordan, Hasek, Favre, etc.....

People need to realize these guys have been doing this their entire lives. Think about what you do for a job. You're job, my job, nobody's job here is likely as lucrative or fun as being a pro athlete. If you're a doctor now or lawyer or janitor you probably weren't doing that at age 5. However, if you're a pro athlete you probably have been playing your sport since age 5. And upon retirement, these guys aren't even 40 years old yet! This isn't like somebody's 67 year old grandfather not being able to handle his golden years and wanting to stay busy. These are guys still in the prime of their lives. Maybe not the prime of their sports careers but still they aren't exactly "old" by my definition.

I can't imagine how torn I would be when faced with the decision to stop playing the game you love. It must be one of the most difficult things an athlete ever has to do.

[CrossoverThrash 0]

Nothing really surprises me any more; is this any worse than the Stars striping Modano of the "C", & handing it over to Morrow?

If i remember right it was Modano's descision

[Opie 308]

If i remember right it was Modano's descision

You remember incorrectly, remember Modo's woman running her mouth about how disrespectful that was!

Dallas Star News

Taking 'C' from Modano shows Stars feel pressure to make grade

06:50 PM CDT on Wednesday, October 4, 2006

By MIKE HEIKA / The Dallas Morning News

Pro sports is a harsh business, and yet we still seem surprised when harsh decisions are made.

The Stars named Brenden Morrow team captain last week. He has earned the position, coach Dave Tippett said, and many who have watched Morrow said he was born to be a captain.

But to pull this switch off, the Stars had to take the "C" away from Mike Modano. And that's a horrible thing to do. Bottom line, it just doesn't happen much in the NHL unless there is a change of coaching staff or a battle within the team. Brett Hull was stripped in St. Louis in his battle with Mike Keenan. Vincent Lecavalier had it taken away in Tampa Bay when they decided it was given to him at too young an age.

But to just take the "C" away from the face of the franchise? That's harsh.

And whether the folks inside the Stars want to admit it, it's a reflection of the job Modano did. They obviously thought the job could be done better by Morrow – and done better now – or there wouldn't have been any need for the move.

The reason why they felt the need to do this now? Because that's how much is riding on this season. Yes, giving Morrow the job will help him become a better captain long-term because he'll have the opportunity to learn with a veteran team. Next year, the Stars' salary cap situation could force a few more youngsters into the lineup, and they want Morrow to be ready. That's a nice explanation, but Morrow could learn at the hand of Modano with Modano maintaining his captaincy until he retires.

What this message seems to say is the Stars' front office and coaching staff is tired of the wasted opportunities in the last three seasons. They thought they were prepared last season, they thought they had done all of their due diligence. But, in the end, there were stones left unturned.

And so they will attack this season asking questions about every area of the team – from who's shooting from the point on the power play to how they travel to and from games. And the bottom line is they will ask this question over and over: Is this the very best way to do this?

When it came to the captaincy, they asked themselves: Can someone do this job better? And they decided Morrow can.

It was harsh, no doubt. But it also shows just how far they are going to go to make sure this is a big season.

Modano has handled the move with class – and, in truth, he probably will feel a certain relief in a few months. But he is disappointed now, and the powers that be knew he would be. And yet, they still made the move.

That's professional sports.

[Shaman 713]

Whats everyone's problem here? This is much less of a joke then if A they took it from him midseason last year, or B left him as captain when hes probably going to get suspended this year at a key time. I mean Pronger is much more of a joke as a captain then anyone else, and Nieds is a better person for the role...

[Guest GordieSid&Ted]

Whats everyone's problem here? This is much less of a joke then if A they took it from him midseason last year, or B left him as captain when hes probably going to get suspended this year at a key time. I mean Pronger is much more of a joke as a captain then anyone else, and Nieds is a better person for the role...

I agree. Although, I find it amusing that some people think to be a Captain you must be like Yzerman or Lidstrom.

Like the only people who know how to Captain are Wings captains and anybody who plays with an edge or crosses the line from time to time cannot possibly be Captain-like material.

There is no single correct type of individual to be captain. Some teams need a certain type of captain, others need something different. And you don't have to be a Byng candidate to be a good captain or to be a leader.

All of these guys wore the "C" at some point in their careers

Dale Hunter 3563 pims

Chris Chelios 2873 pims

Scott Stevens 2785 pims

Scott Mellanby 2479 pims

Brendan Shanahan 2460 pims

Jeff Odgers 2364 pims

Terry O'Rielly 2095 pims

Mark Messier 1910 pims

Ted Lindsay 1808 pims

Wendel Clark 1690 pims

Bobby Clarke 1453 pims

Clark Gillies 1023 pims

The list goes on and on. Every single guy on this list has done stuff at some point(s) in their careers that would make you cringe. To say its a joke to name Pronger a captain is simply biased and not really based on any common sense. We hate the guy and he doesn't fit the "mold" of what we think a captain should be like, ie he doesn't play like Nick or Stevie so naming him captain is an obvious joke. Yeah, ok.

[ashenhigh 9]

People have alot of nerve still badmouthing Niedermayer and insinuating what he did last year was contrived or that he colluded with Brian Burke to help the Ducks. NO EVIDENCE that I am aware of backs any of the accusations or inflammatory bulls*** being spewed by less intelligent Wings fans around here.

Burke gave a press conference later in the year on what happened with Scott. He said Scott left him basically in the dark on his decisions and that Burke got pissed off when he found out through a third party that Scott was ready to come back.

It could be bulls***. But I watched the presser and I believe Burke was being truthful.

IMO, there's nothing more to this situation other than a player not being able to come to grips with leaving the game he loves. Ever ******* heard of Brett Favre people? It happens.

I am sorry but I hate the ducks and always have. Everyone on that team but Teemu is a POS in my book. I hate the ducks for many things, mainly their fans. But how could you EVER compare Favre and Nieds? Kids from Wisconsin ages 12-24 grew up adoring Favre, he was their hero and he retired, and came back only a few months later to START the season, not come in 4 months into it while your team is struggling and can't score any goals.

Yes I have little to no respect for Nieds. Or Pronger, or Perry, or Getzlaf, or O'Donnell (great, that bastard still hasn't left LA).

Edited October 8, 2008 by ashenhigh

[Guest GordieSid&Ted]

I am sorry but I hate the ducks and always have. Everyone on that team but Teemu is a POS in my book. I hate the ducks for many things, mainly their fans. But how could you EVER compare Favre and Nieds? Kids from Wisconsin ages 12-24 grew up adoring Favre, he was their hero and he retired, and came back only a few months later to START the season, not come in 4 months into it while your team is struggling and can't score any goals.

Yes I have little to no respect for Nieds. Or Pronger, or Perry, or Getzlaf, or O'Donnell (great, that bastard still hasn't left LA).

Hey, you're free to hate on anybody you like.

But you're missing the point. Where and how long and how revered Favre was in Green Bay has nothing to do with the real issue. The real issue is a great player retiring and struggling to come to grips with his decision and eventually wanting to play again.

No you, not me, nobody has the right to tell somebody when they should feel good about hanging up the uni. So what if it took Favre less time. What does that matter? Is there an official rule on how much time one gets to take to decide the rest of their life?

You're fixated on what Scott did to the Ducks, "they couldn't score goals". Of course that probably bothered him to see his team struggle. But it probably tore at him just as much to realize if he goes back to playing he loses even more of the years he gets to spend the vast majority of his time with his wife and children.

I can't imagine the athlete part of it. But I can imagine the family part of it. Having a desire to play the game you love conflicting with the idea of spending most of your time with your family, something you've never been able to do since you became a pro, along with financial issues, not to mention the notion that you will wake up one day and never play the game you love at the same level ever again.

Stevie new it was time and he stuck with it. Cam Neely had no choice. Michael Jordan changed his mind. Favre realized he wasn't ready. Etc....everybody is different.

IMO, you're hating Niedermayer b/c it took him too long to decide his life, that's pretty arrogant of you. I don't think you'd want people to hate you b/c you couldn't make a decision that monumental in the time frame that somebody else wanted you to.

[Lovin Jiri Fischer 147]

Very sad when naming Scott Niedermayer your captain is a step up in class for your team.

[Shaman 713]

I agree. Although, I find it amusing that some people think to be a Captain you must be like Yzerman or Lidstrom.

Like the only people who know how to Captain are Wings captains and anybody who plays with an edge or crosses the line from time to time cannot possibly be Captain-like material.

There is no single correct type of individual to be captain. Some teams need a certain type of captain, others need something different. And you don't have to be a Byng candidate to be a good captain or to be a leader.

All of these guys wore the "C" at some point in their careers

Dale Hunter 3563 pims

Chris Chelios 2873 pims

Scott Stevens 2785 pims

Scott Mellanby 2479 pims

Brendan Shanahan 2460 pims

Jeff Odgers 2364 pims

Terry O'Rielly 2095 pims

Mark Messier 1910 pims

Ted Lindsay 1808 pims

Wendel Clark 1690 pims

Bobby Clarke 1453 pims

Clark Gillies 1023 pims

The list goes on and on. Every single guy on this list has done stuff at some point(s) in their careers that would make you cringe. To say its a joke to name Pronger a captain is simply biased and not really based on any common sense. We hate the guy and he doesn't fit the "mold" of what we think a captain should be like, ie he doesn't play like Nick or Stevie so naming him captain is an obvious joke. Yeah, ok.

My problem isnt that he has a lot of PIM, its the Pronger is more and more letting his emotions take over in a game, and taking suspensions that will hurt their team, which is the most uncaptain like thing one can do. Whereas Nieds, besides last year has been the best leader in the Ducks organization.