This was not the only time that Niedermayer’s indecisiveness affected the Anaheim Ducks. After the Ducks lost in the Western Conference semi-finals to the Detroit Red Wings in the 2008-09 NHL playoffs, Ducks GM Bob Murray had a tough decision to make; with Pronger and Niedermayer still on the team, the Ducks had to move one of them. The organization had improved its offensive core, but the younger players (Ryan Getzlaf, Cory Perry, and Bobby Ryan) would eventually need raises. Once again, Niedermayer was unsure about his future, so he waited until the first day of the 2009 NHL Entry Draft to make his decision. Hours before the draft began, he told Murray he wanted to return, so the GM decided that moving Pronger, an ex-Hart Trophy winner, was the best option for his club. He traded Pronger (whose snarky comment of “I wouldn’t say I’m surprised” had some believing that he was not happy about being traded), to the Philadelphia Flyers for forward Joffrey Lupul, prospect defenseman Luca Sbisa and multiple draft picks. Pronger went on to do something he has done twice before; help lead his team to the Stanley Cup Finals. Meanwhile, the Ducks didn’t make the playoffs for the first time in five seasons.
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