Rob Niedermayer

Robert Wade Niedermayer Jr. (born December 28, 1974) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player who played 17 National Hockey League (NHL) seasons for the Florida Panthers, Calgary Flames, Anaheim Ducks, New Jersey Devils, and Buffalo Sabres.
He is the younger brother of former NHL defenceman Scott Niedermayer (the two were teammates for four seasons) and cousin of defenceman Jason Strudwick. Born in Cassiar, British Columbia, he and his brother Scott grew up in Cranbrook.
== Playing career==
Niedermayer was drafted fifth overall by the Florida Panthers in the 1993 NHL Entry Draft. At the time, he was playing for the Medicine Hat Tigers of the Western Hockey League (WHL). He began his NHL career immediately following his draft, without playing a game in the minors. During the 1995–96 season, he set career highs in goals, assists and points in the regular season. In the 1996 Stanley Cup playoffs, the Panthers went on an improbable playoff drive to the Stanley Cup Finals before being swept in four games by the Colorado Avalanche. Niedermayer was hurt by concussions in the next years and was never able to achieve the same level of scoring ability again. His NHL role soon turned into a defensive forward.
On July 23, 2001, Niedermayer was traded to the Calgary Flames (alongside a draft pick) in exchange for Valeri Bure and Jason Wiemer. At the 2003 NHL trade deadline, he was sent to the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim. That same year, he helped the Anaheim Ducks make an improbable run to the Stanley Cup Finals, his second such run. But again, Niedermayer's team lost, although this time it was in seven games to his brother's team, the New Jersey Devils. He and Scott became the first set of brothers to play against each other in the Stanley Cup Final since Ken and Terry Reardon did it in 1946. In the summer of 2005, Rob's brother Scott was signed by the Mighty Ducks, and for the first time in their NHL careers, the two brothers were playing on the same team.
He and his brother Scott (by this point captain of the Ducks, with Rob as an alternate) won the Stanley Cup together as members of the Anaheim Ducks after defeating the Ottawa Senators four games to one in 2007, becoming the first brothers to win the Stanley Cup together since Duane and Brent Sutter accomplished the feat twice with the New York Islanders in 1982 and 1983. After Scott took the first lap around the ice with the Stanley Cup, he handed it to Rob. This was a break with Stanley Cup tradition; normally, the alternate captain who has waited longest to win the Cup (in the 2006–07 Ducks' case, Chris Pronger and Teemu Selänne) takes the next lap after the captain takes his lap.
On September 25, 2009, Niedermayer was signed by the New Jersey Devils, a team his brother Scott played on for 14 NHL seasons. On July 7, 2010, Niedermayer was signed by the Buffalo Sabres to a one-year contract worth a reported $1.15 million.
thumb|right|230px|Rob Niedermayer warming up during the 2007 playoffs
After becoming a free agent following the 2011 season, Niedermayer signed with HC Lugano of the Swiss National League A.
== Personal==
On July 16, 2006, Niedermayer married longtime girlfriend Jessica Bentall, daughter of Barney Bentall, whom he had been dating since March 2001. Together, they have two daughters. Niedermayer was a minority owner of major junior club the Kootenay Ice in the WHL for 18 years before selling his stake (along with brother Scott) to the Chynoweth family after the 2015–16 season.
==Career statistics==
===Regular season and playoffs===
 	 	 		Regular season	Regular season	Regular season	Regular season	Regular season		Playoffs	Playoffs	Playoffs	Playoffs	Playoffs
Season 	Team 	League 		GP 	G 	A 	Pts 	PIM 		GP 	G 	A 	Pts 	PIM
1990–91 	Medicine Hat Tigers 	WHL 		71 	24 	26 	50 	8 		12 	3 	7 	10 	2
1991–92 	Medicine Hat Tigers 	WHL 		71 	32 	46 	78 	77 		4 	2 	3 	5 	2
1992–93 	Medicine Hat Tigers 	WHL 		52 	43 	34 	77 	67 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1993–94 	Florida Panthers 	NHL 		65 	9 	17 	26 	51 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1994–95 	Medicine Hat Tigers 	WHL 		13 	9 	15 	24 	14 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1994–95 	Florida Panthers 	NHL 		48 	4 	6 	10 	36 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1995–96 	Florida Panthers 	NHL 		82 	26 	35 	61 	107 		22 	5 	3 	8 	12
1996–97 	Florida Panthers 	NHL 		60 	14 	24 	38 	54 		5 	2 	1 	3 	6
1997–98 	Florida Panthers 	NHL 		33 	8 	7 	15 	41 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1998–99 	Florida Panthers 	NHL 		82 	18 	33 	51 	50 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1999–2000 	Florida Panthers 	NHL 		81 	10 	23 	33 	46 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
2000–01 	Florida Panthers 	NHL 		67 	12 	20 	32 	50 		4 	1 	0 	1 	6
2001–02 	Calgary Flames 	NHL 		57 	6 	14 	20 	49 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
2002–03 	Calgary Flames 	NHL 		54 	8 	10 	18 	42 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
2002–03 	Mighty Ducks of Anaheim	NHL 		12 	2 	2 	4 	15 		21 	3 	7 	10 	18
2003–04 	Mighty Ducks of Anaheim	NHL 		55 	12 	16 	28 	34 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
2004–05 	Ferencvárosi TC 	HUN 		5 	2 	1 	3 	14 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
2005–06 	Mighty Ducks of Anaheim	NHL 		76 	15 	24 	39 	89 		16 	1 	3 	4 	10
2006–07 	Anaheim Ducks 	NHL 		82 	5 	11 	16 	77 		21 	5 	5 	10 	39
2007–08 	Anaheim Ducks 	NHL 		78 	8 	8 	16 	54 		2 	0 	0 	0 	0
2008–09 	Anaheim Ducks 	NHL 		79 	14 	7 	21 	42 		13 	0 	3 	3 	12
2009–10 	New Jersey Devils 	NHL 		71 	10 	12 	22 	45 		5 	0 	0 	0 	6
2010–11 	Buffalo Sabres 	NHL 		71 	5 	14 	19 	22 		7 	1 	3 	4 	2
2011–12 	HC Lugano 	NLA 		14 	2 	4 	6 	12 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
NHL totals	NHL totals 	NHL totals		1,153 	186 	283 	469 	904 		116 	18 	25 	43 	111
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
===International===
Year 	Team 	Event 	Result 		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
1993 	Canada 	WJC 	 		7 	0	2	2 	2
1999 	Canada 	WC 	4th 		10	2	1	3 	8
2004 	Canada 	WC 	 		9 	2	4	6 	22
Junior totals	Junior totals	Junior totals	Junior totals		7 	0	2	2 	2
Senior totals	Senior totals	Senior totals	Senior totals		19	4	5	9 	30
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
==Awards and honours==
Award 	Year	
WHL 	WHL 	WHL
East First All-Star Team 	1993	
NHL 	NHL 	NHL
Stanley Cup champion (Anaheim Ducks)	2007	
==Transactions==
*June 26, 1993 – drafted by the Florida Panthers in the first round, fifth overall in the 1993 NHL Entry Draft
*June 23, 2001 – traded to the Calgary Flames with a 2001 second round draft pick (Andrei Medvedev) for Valeri Bure and Jason Wiemer
*March 11, 2003 – traded to the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim for Jean-François Damphousse and Mike Commodore
*September 25, 2009 – signed by the New Jersey Devils as an unrestricted free agent
*July 7, 2010 – signed by the Buffalo Sabres as an unrestricted free agent
==See also==
*List of NHL players with 1,000 games played
==References==
*2005 NHL Official Guide & Record Book; 
==External links==
*
 
Category:1974 births
Category:Anaheim Ducks players
Category:Buffalo Sabres players
Category:Calgary Flames players
Category:Canadian ice hockey forwards
Category:Ferencvárosi TC players
Category:Florida Panthers draft picks
Category:Florida Panthers players
Category:HC Lugano players
Category:Ice hockey people from British Columbia
Category:Medicine Hat Tigers players
Category:Mighty Ducks of Anaheim players
Category:National Hockey League first-round draft picks
Category:New Jersey Devils players
Category:Stanley Cup champions
Category:Canadian expatriate ice hockey players in Switzerland