The Mighty Ducks of Anaheim announced today that the National Hockey League (NHL) club has agreed to terms with unrestricted free-agent defenseman Scott Niedermayer and restricted free agent center/right wing Rob Niedermayer on four-year contracts. Per club policy, no financial terms of the deals were disclosed. “Scott Niedermayer is one of the top defensemen in the game today whose skating, puck-moving ability and leadership qualities make him a great addition to our team,” said Executive Vice President and General Manager Brian Burke. “Rob has already proven his worth to the organization with his physical style of play, speed and versatility. He was a critical component to the team during the 2003 Stanley Cup playoff run.” A three-time Stanley Cup Champion and Olympic Gold Medalist, Scott Niedermayer was awarded the 2004 James Norris Trophy (given to the league’s top defenseman). During the 2003-2004 regular season, he appeared in 81 games, finishing tied-for-second in the NHL among defensemen with 54 points (named a First Team NHL All-Star). After being drafted by New Jersey in the first round (third overall) of the 1991 NHL Entry Draft, Scott played 13 NHL seasons with the Devils. The highest scoring defenseman in Devils’ history, he has appeared in 892 career regular season games, earning 112-364=476 points with a +172 rating. The 6-1, 200-pound defenseman has also earned 17-47=64 points in 146 Stanley Cup Playoff games (winning the Cup in 1995, 2000 & 2003). He had 16 assists and 18 points in the 2003 Stanley Cup Playoffs when the Devils knocked off the Mighty Ducks in seven games, leading all NHL players in assists and tying with teammate Jamie Langenbrunner in points. The Niedermayers were the first siblings to face each other in the Stanley Cup Finals since 1946 (Terry Reardon, Boston & Ken Reardon, Montreal). Scott, 31 (8/31/73), has appeared in three NHL All-Star Games (1998, 2001 & 2004). In 2002, the Edmonton, Alberta native represented Canada at the Olympic Games in Salt Lake City, Utah, helping the country win the Gold Medal. The Niedermayers were teammates on Canada's gold medal squad at the 2003 IIHF world championship in Helsinki. Rob Niedermayer, 30 (12/28/74), completed his 11th NHL season in 2003-2004, earning 12-16=28 points with 34 penalty minutes in 55 games for the Ducks. Following the season, he was selected to appear with Team Canada at the 2004 World Championships in Prague, Czech Republic. The 6-2, 205 pound forward helped the Canadian club to a gold medal, appearing in all nine tournament games and earning 2-4=6 points with 22 penalty minutes. Drafted by Florida in the first round (5th overall) of the 1993 NHL Entry Draft, the Cassiar, British Columbia native was acquired from Calgary in exchange for Mike Commodore and J.F. Damphousse on March 11, 2003. He has appeared in 696 career NHL games, earning 129-207=336 points with 575 penalty minutes.


The Neidermayer brothers Rob & Scott opponents once, will be brothers-in-arms in Anahiem

The New Jersey Devils today solidified its defensive corps by signing unrestricted free agents Brian Rafalski, Vladimir Malakhov, and Dan McGillis. The announcement was made by Devils' CEO/President/General Manager Lou Lamoriello. As per club policy, no further terms were announced. Rafalski, 31, returns for his sixth season with the Devils. He has career totals of 30 goals, and 177 assists for 207 points and 110 penalty minutes in 377 regular-season games, including a career-high nine goals, 43 assists, and 52 points in 2000-01. The 5'10", 190 lb. defenseman was a member of New Jersey's 2000 and 2003 Stanley Cup Championship teams. Rafalski participated in his first NHL All-Star Game in 2004, and was named to the league's All-Rookie Team in 2000. He represented the United States during the 2004 World Cup of Hockey, and the 2002 Olympic Winter Games. Not drafted, Rafalski signed as a free agent on June 18, 1999, after beginning his professional career in Europe in 1995-96. He played four seasons with the University of Wisconsin (WCHA) from 1991 through 1995. Rafalski was born September 28, 1973 in Dearborn, MI.

Malakhov, 36, is entering his 13th NHL season, and is looking to become the ninth player to be re-acquired and play for the Devils. The 6'4", 230 lb. defenseman was acquired by New Jersey from Montreal at the 2000 trading deadline, and was a member of its Stanley Cup Championship team that season. Malakhov has appeared in 683 career regular-season contests with the NY Islanders, Montreal, New Jersey, the NY Rangers, and Philadelphia, and has posted 82 goals and 255 assists for 337 points and 671 penalty minutes. He was named to the NHL All-Rookie Team in 1993, and was selected by the NY Islanders 191st overall in 1989. Malakhov was born August 30, 1968 in Sverdlovsk, USSR. McGillis, 33, will be entering his ninth NHL season. The 6'2", 230 lb. native of Hawkesbury, Ont. has career totals of 56 goals and 176 assists for 232 points and 534 penalty minutes in 607 games with Edmonton, Philadelphia, San Jose, and Boston. McGillis recorded a career-high 14 goals and 49 points in 2000-01 with the Flyers. He was Detroit's tenth choice, and the 238th overall selection in the 1992 NHL Entry Draft. McGillis also played four seasons at Northeastern University (HE).



MARTIN BIRON Position: Goaltender Born: August 15, 1977 Birthplace: Lac St. Charles, Quebec, Canada Height: 6'3" Weight: 163 lbs. Catches: Left Drafted by the Buffalo Sabres, 1st Round, 16th Overall, 1995 NHL Amateur Draft Seasons with Buffalo: 1995-96 to Present Uniform Numbers: 00, 43
For three years, Martin Biron sat in the shadow of greatness. As backup to All-World goaltender Dominik Hasek, Biron rarely got the recognition, or playing time, he longed for. As the second man on the depth chart of perhaps the deepest goaltending team in the NHL, Biron was forced to sit back and wait his turn. In late June, 2001, the waiting finally ended as Hasek was traded to the Detroit Red Wings. Now, Biron is finally where he wants to be, as the number one goaltender of the Buffalo Sabres. It's been a long wait, but Biron is confident that he can fill the role. Biron may never be as good as his predecessor. Hasek was, and is, one of the best goaltenders ever to strp on the pads. Biron will have his work cut out for him trying to live up to the expectations of fans who have been treated to the Hasek magic for the past nine seasons. Only time will tell how Biron fares and if he can emerge from the long shadow cast by Dominik Hasek. Biron's route to the NHL began, as it does for many NHL players, in the Canadian Major Junior leagues. Biron played his minor hockey for the Beauport Harfangs of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. In his first year as starter for Beauport in 1994-95, Biron was impressive. At only 17 years of age, he led the league with a 2.48 goals against average (GAA). Biron was named QMJHL and CHL Goaltender of the year for the 1994-95 season. He was also named First Team All-Star. Based on his solid performance, Biron was drafted by the Buffalo Sabres in the first round, 16th overall selection, in the 1995 NHL Entry Draft.

In 1995, Biron was on his way to another stellar season with Beauport when he received a call from the Sabres. Starter Hasek was out of the lineup with an abdominal strain. Third string goaltender Robb Stauber, who had been playing for the Sabres' AHL affiliate, the Rochester Americans, was out of action as well with a torn rotator cuff. The Sabres called up rookie Steve Shields from South Carolina of the CHL to back up Andrei Trefilov in Buffalo. Then, the unthinkable happened. Trefilov strained his knee on December 23, 1995 against the Ottawa Senators. Biron was called in from his junior team to pitch in. On December 26, 1995, Biron, fresh from the juniors, was in uniform and in the net, making his NHL debut on the road against the Pittsburgh Penguins. At 18 years of age, Biron was the fourth youngest goaltender ever to start an NHL game. It was a bad situation for a youngster making his NHL debut. The Penguins were an offensive powerhouse, with Mario Lemieux, Jaromir Jagr, Ron Francis and Petr Nedved, among others. With a rookie starting, and another in Shields backing him up, it promised to be a long night for the Sabres. Biron, wearing jersey number double zero, got off to a shaky start, giving up a goal to Nedved just 2:09 into the first period. The Sabres tied it up just two minutes later on a Derek Plante goal, but the Penguins weren't done. David Roche scored at 5:28 of the first. Jaromir Jagr added a goal on the powerplay 5 minutes later, and Ron Francis topped it off with another powerplay goal with just 8 seconds remaining in the first period.



At the start of the second period, Sabres coach Ted Nolan sat Biron in favor of Shields, who had made his NHL debut only three nights earlier when Trefilov had been injured. Shields didn't fare much better, giving up a goal to Mario Lemieux and another to Chris Joseph within a minute and twenty-nine seconds, midway through the period. The Sabres unable to score in the second. Biron was back in net for the start of the third period, and this time he held the Penguins scoreless. Matthew Barnaby and Dane Jackson scored to bring the Sabres within three, but the goals were meaningless. The Sabres were unable to tie the game. Biron's NHL debut ended in a 6-3 Penguins victory. Biron was back in Rochester to start the 1999-00 season, but was recalled to the Sabres in late October to backup Dominik Hasek. When Hasek went out with a groin injury on October 29, 1999, Biron was given the brunt of the goaltending duties for the Sabres, backed up by Dwayne Roloson. Biron played excellently as starter while Hasek was out, keeping the Sabres in Playoff contention. He was named the NHL's Player of the Week for the week of November 1 through November 7, 1999, recording a 1.95 GAA and three wins during that stretch. He recorded his first NHL shutout on November 19, 1995 in a 4-0 win over the Atlanta Thrashers. Biron would record 4 more shutouts that season, which tied a team record for most shutouts by a rookie set by Don Edwards in the 1976-77 season. His 5 shutouts was tied for 3rd most in the League that year. Before Hasek returned and resumed starting duties for the Sabres, Biron had been leading the League in that department. Biron finished the season with a 2.42 GAA in 41 games played. At season's end, Biron was give the team's Star of Stars award, which is given to the player with the most three stars selections throughout the season. A restricted free agent at the end of the 1999-00 campaign, Biron held out, looking for more money. Biron's hold out lasted throughout training camp and into the beginnign of the season. Finally, on November 7, 2000, after lowing his initial demands, Biron signed a multi-year deal with the Sabres. He spent the 2000-01 season once again backing up Dominik Hasek. In 18 games, Biron had a 2.55 GAA and 2 shutouts. Following the trade of Hasek to the Detroit Red Wings on June 30, 2001, Martin Biron will be the Sabres' starting goaltender going into the 2001-02 season.



Luis Figo will fly to Milan on Thursday to complete his move from Real Madrid to Internazionale as he bids to be registered for the Champions League qualifying stages. The Portuguese international was due to join up with the Madrid squad at their pre-season training camp in Austria after he returned from talks in Italy without an agreement being reached on Tuesday. But Figo's advisers have now struck a deal with Inter that will see the former Barcelona star move to the San Siro on two-year deal that is worth in the region of €4.5million per season to the player. He is now set to fly back to Milan on Thursday to undergo a medical and sign teh contract. "Figo isn’t a Nerazzurri player yet, but he could well become one tomorrow," said Inter’s transfer consultant Gabriele Oriali. "The only thing separating us now is land, as he is in Spain." Talks between Madrid and Inter have been ongoing since the end of the season after he was dropped to the bench for the final few matches of the campaign and expressed his unhappiness publicly. The Serie A outfit have to register their squad for the qualifying stages of the Champions League on Thursday and are racing against time to be able to include Figo's name on the list. Their will be at least three familiar faces waiting for Figo when he arrives after Santiago Solari and Walter Samuel made the switch from Bernabéu earlier this summer and Estaban Cambiasso who played for the Italian outfit last season.

Babe of the week - NANCY SAKOVICH





Song for the day - "Deny" - DEFAULT