Scott Niedermayer Will Hang Them Up

In a couple of hours, Scott Niedermayer will make it official and hang up his skates for good. The story broken by Eric Stephens of the OC Register is years in the making as the veteran postponed his retirement every season since winning his most recent Stanley Cup with the Ducks.

This move signifies two things fantasy-wise.

One, Lubomir Visnovsky will become the number one defenseman on the squad and will certainly rack up the points on the powerplay should he stay healthy all season.

Second, the Ducks can likely now re-sign James Wisniewski, who previously was a candidate to be dealt.  The two aforementioned players will likely start the season as the top defensive unit as the Ducks continue to rebuild.

With Corey Perry, Ryan Getzlaf and Bobby Ryan still on board, the offense should remain strong.  The biggest question about the Ducks now is will Teemu Selanne and Saku Koivu return.