The Devils tried to keep Scott Niedermayer, but Brian Burke had the key chip – Niedermayer’s brother Rob.
When Burke qualified Rob Niedermayer at $1.8 million last week, the stage was set for the bidding war that Burke won without winning.
The Devils may have offered as much as $1 million a year more to Scott Niedermayer, but he turned down their bid yesterday to sign with the Anaheim Mighty Ducks for $6.75 million for each of four years. At the same time, Rob Niedermayer is believed to have received a new contract worth $2 million per over four years.
“It was a tough decision, first of all. It’s a chance to play with my brother, and we haven’t done that [except for World Championships] in 16-17 years,” Niedermayer told The Post yesterday. “It’s something that’s exciting. My wife’s family stays in Palm Springs during the winter, and my parents can come down, too. It’ll will be a nice place to be.”
Turning 32 Aug. 31, Niedermayer has been a Devil since he was 18. This will be something new for him.
“I’ll feel a lot like a rookie. I’ll have to be on my toes,” the Norris Trophy holder said. “They’re a good team. They were our opponents in the (2003) Stanley Cup Finals.
“I came to New Jersey with my hockey equipment and a few pair of underwear. Now I’ve got a whole house and family to move.”
Niedermayer said informing Lamoriello of his decision was difficult.
“That was a tough call to make because it was a tough decision,” Niedermayer said. “Those years were great, and I’m very thankful. He was disappointed. I was disappointed to tell him I wasn’t coming back.
“His offer was substantially more than anybody else’s. It was a choice I had to make. I told him ‘There’s no reason to leave, but there are reasons to go to Anaheim.’ ”
Before the market opened Monday, Niedermayer had expected to mull his options for a month. Things changed quickly with the rapid signing of players.
“Once I got into it, I wanted it done,” Niedermayer said. “It wasn’t nice getting up or trying to go to bed with all that hanging over you, trying to decide.”
Of his days in New Jersey, Niedermayer had only good memories, starting with the three Stanley Cups.
“And as I get older, and maybe more mature, I look back at some of the tough times as being some of my better experiences, like early-on with Jacques [Lemaire],” Niedermayer said. “I had a lot to learn. It didn’t seem like a good thing then, but it is now.”
Now he takes it to the West Coast, all those lessons and those Cups. The Devils have great skates to fill.