The Devils host Anaheim Ducks and old friend Scott Niedermayer tonight at the Prudential Center. The these two teams met last in the 2003 Stanley Cup Finals, a memorable experience for Nieds, who won his third Cup in a New Jersey sweater. He returned the following season, captaining the Devils to another playoff run. After they lost in the first round, Nieds, a free agent at the time, decided to sign with the Ducks, rather than remain here. Scott’s younger brother Rob also played for Anaheim, factoring in his decision.

Just as Scotty helped the Devils win 3 Cups, he also contributed to their first dance with Lord Stanley’s most prized possession last season. In his first year in Anaheim, Scotty manufactured a career-high 63 points, before toppling that number last season. In 2006-07 campaign, Scotty notched 15 goals, 54 assists and 69 points, all career best numbers. The Ducks plowed through the western conference playoffs before defeating Ottawa, the eastern conference champion 4-1. In the process, the Niedermayer family finally celebrated The Holy Grail for the first time in history. It was also the first time in history a team from California earned Lord Stanley’s Mug. After winning game four, Scott, Ducks captain, broke tradition and handed The Cup to his younger brother Rob, who waited 14 years to dance around the ice.

Unlike Ken Daneyko and Scott Stevens Commemorative Nights, the Devils are not honoring Niedermayer before the 7 o'clock tip-off.

I believe the fans will greet him with the honor that he earned in the Garden State. He left the organization with a Norris Trophy, fourth in franchise scoring and a vital part of the Devils 3 Stanley Cups and great success since the early nineties.

It was a pleasure watching arguably the league’s top defenseman Scott glide up the ice and find a teammate cutting to the net. He was like the Jason Kidd of the NHL. He has racked up 468 assists in 1,053 regular season games and another 64 helpers in 183 postseason contests.

When he retires, the NHL will honor him as it did with Mark Messier, on the first ballot Hall of Fame. The Devils will also bestow Nieds with retiring No. 27’s jersey to the Rock’s rafters, according to Rich Chere of the Star Ledger.

"Devils general manager Lou Lamoriello confirmed the obvious when he told The Star-Ledger that Niedermayer's No. 27 would some day be retired to the rafters at the Rock alongside No. 4 (Scott Stevens), No. 3 (Ken Daneyko) and, eventually, No. 30 (Martin Brodeur).

For those in attendance tonight for the Devils-Ducks contest, they should give Scotty, a former 1991 Devils first round draft choice, a standing ovation when the PA announcers calls his name.

He’s earned it.

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