Defenseman Mathieu Schneider has left the Detroit Red Wings, signing as an unrestricted free agent with the Anaheim Ducks.
Schneider's two-year deal with Anaheim will pay him $5.5 million next season and $5.75 million the following campaign.
Originally drafted by the Montreal Canadiens, Schneider had also played for the New York Islanders, Toronto Maple Leafs, New York Rangers and the Los Angeles Kings before joining the Red Wings in a trade-deadline deal in 2003.
Schneider had almost left the Red Wings once before, when he became a free agent following the 2003-04 season. It had been announced that he would not be returning to Detroit but the two sides were able to agree to terms on a deal following the lockout that wiped out the 2004-05 season.
With Schneider now in the fold, Anaheim defenseman Scott Niedermayer is expected to announce his retirement.
Do you think the wings should keep him?
I do. =)
First off, he's a very good defenceman.
Second, ....well, He's one of my favorite players, so i obviously want him to return. ^.^
Umm sorry about not making this a poll...>.> the whole poll options things are very different from what im used to, and i dont really understand it yet.
I'd love to see Schneids back in Detroit next season. The Kimmo Timonen contract can't help the Red Wings, though, and I remember the last contract negotiations between Schneider and Detroit being difficult. At one point both sides assumed he was a goner.
But things seem to be a bit better now so we'll see. If they can't sign him, there aren't a lot of good replacements out there.
oooh i hope there's no problems this time! i don't know a whole lot about the contract problems because i wasn't following hockey then, but i heard it was bad. D= i hope everything goes as clean as a whistle.
Holland is expected to meet with Schneider's agent this weekend, but there's lots of speculation that if Anaheim loses Scott Niedermayer to retirement, the Ducks will also make a push for Schneider.
oh dear lord i hope that doesnt happen. i would sit and cry T_T. they are my least favorite team for many reasons. Dx it pains me to think there is even a possibility of that happening. so all i have to say is i guess....keep your fingers crossed!
I would love to see him back, but I do think the team could go on without him.
as much as it pains me to say this, i somewhat agree with you. Dx no one heard that!!!!!! sshh!
The team might have to, apparently he's asking for more money than Holland wants to give right now.
that's horrible news. oh dear. i'm very scared now. i can only hope for the best.D= 
schneider stays, markov is gone, lang is gone, bertuzzi is resigned and a prospect will fill Lang's void. I can almost guarantee that is what will happen. I just have a gut feeling about it.
schneider stays, markov is gone, lang is gone, bertuzzi is resigned and a prospect will fill Lang's void. I can almost guarantee that is what will happen. I just have a gut feeling about it.
i dont know about the whole markov and bertuzzi thing. markov played well and bertuzzi.....didnt really shine if you know what im saying? i think he might go. markov, its hard to say
schneider stays, markov is gone, lang is gone, bertuzzi is resigned and a prospect will fill Lang's void. I can almost guarantee that is what will happen. I just have a gut feeling about it.
i dont know about the whole markov and bertuzzi thing. markov played well and bertuzzi.....didnt really shine if you know what im saying? i think he might go. markov, its hard to say
The WINGS would do well to delete LANG for sure, and maybe even BERTUZZI, although BERTUZZI may still develop as a good power forward. MARKOV played very well and he really needs to stay. He a very good blue liner. I would place MARKOV up there, maybe even ahead of LEBDA and LILJA, as the WINGS #3 "D" man. And thats not meant to take anything away from either LEBDA or LIJA. MARKOV, LEBDA and LILJA are all core defensemen and should be retained.
Everyone forgets that Bertuzzi had back surgery, lets see someone else come from that to hopping right into the playoffs. I mean come on, give the guy a break. he needs some time to get back in the swing of things. He may not be a power forward anymore, but he sure does add some size, and im sure we'll still see flashes of the old crash the net style.
Two things today that could affect Schneider's return...
One, the cap for next season was announced at $50.3 million. This is up from $44 million this season and is higher than the $48 million that had been estimated, so that might give the Wings some extra money to sign Schneider.
Two, Jaroslav Modry re-signed with the Kings. He was rumored to be one of the blueline replacements the Wings might look at if they couldn't keep Schneider.
It looks like Schneider won't be back with Detroit before free agency opens up in 90 minutes.
Ken Holland said yesterday that he would talk to all of Detroit's impending free agents (Schneider, Markov, Bertuzzi and Hasek) one more time this morning to try to get a deal done, but there's been no news.
I get the feeling that Schneider is gone. Dave at GorillaCrouch suggests Scott Hannan and Roman Hamrlik as replacements for Markov and Schneider, should both bolt. He also recommends resigning Hasek and Bertuzzi. I don't disagree but I wonder how realistic his numbers are.
And one thing that almost every blogger has been forgetting in projecting a Detroit lineup for next season... Derek Meech will be subject to waivers, meaning he probably won't be sent down to GR. Kyle Quincey, no matter how well he played in the postseason, can still be sent down.
Posting from my phone... TSN reports Schneider signing with the Ducks. I don't have numbers but I'm on my way home to find out more.
Posting from my phone... TSN reports Schneider signing with the Ducks. I don't have numbers but I'm on my way home to find out more.
The Anaheim Ducks have signed defenceman Mathieu Schneider to a two-year deal paying him $5.5 million and $5.75 million. Schneider played his last four seasons in Detroit and appeared in 68 games last season, recording 11 goals, 41 assists and 66 penalty minutes.
Just a tiny bit more than Ken Holland was willing to spend.
I would not be shocked if the Wings make a push for New Jersey's Brian Rafalski now.
Maybe I'm wrong about Rafalski, supposedly Edmonton has given him an offer and they are awaiting his response.
Schneider's gonna make a good replacement for Niedermayer should he prove to retire. I hope he doesn't though, because I want to see those two play together...
gyahh, this topic should be deleted because even though i laugh it off, it makes me sick and sad everytime i think of it. Dx i hope neidemayer retires, i still dont like him.
I hope Niedermayer retires so that the Wings don't have to face that defense. 
I hope Niedermayer retires so that the Wings don't have to face that defense.
'nuff said. plus he seemed like a dirty player sometimes in the playoffs. but i was absolutely thrilled when a player from ottawa(whose name escapes me at the moment) shot the puck at him on purpose during the playoffs!
plus, if he goes, who knows how long his brother will stick around?(another player i dislike xD)
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