Ducks set deadline for Niedermayer, Selanne

May 23, 2008 - 3:54 AM LOS ANGELES (Ticker) -- Anaheim Ducks general manager Brian Burke was more than generous to Scott Niedermayer and Teemu Selanne this past season. He apparently is not about to follow the same path again.

According to a report by the Los Angeles Times on Thursday, Burke has given Niedermayer and Selanne a deadline to decide whether they will play in 2008-09 or retire.

After the Ducks won the Stanley Cup last June, Burke allowed both veterans the luxury of determining their fate in the NHL on their own terms. The 34-year-old Niedermayer, who won the Conn Smythe Trophy last postseason, announced he would return to the team on December 5, while the 37-year-old Selanne made his decision to come back on January 28.

However, Burke is not willing to wait this time around, setting this year's draft - which takes place from June 20-21 in Ottawa - as a deadline for both players to make a decision on their futures. Niedermayer has one year remaining on his four-year contract, while Selanne can become an unrestricted free agent on July 1.

"I did sit down with Scotty, and he agreed that it made sense," Burke told the Times. "I said, 'We did it your way last year, and that was fine. This time around, we want to know something.' We told them we need to know before the draft so we can plan accordingly.

"Teemu's situation is different because he can be a free agent. He's free to blow through any deadline."

Niedermayer made his season debut on December 16 and recorded eight goals and 17 assists in 48 games. Anaheim benefited greatly from the former Norris Trophy winner's return, going 31-12-4 thereafter to secure the fourth seed in the Western Conference.

Selanne also was a factor in the Ducks' late surge, registering 12 goals and 23 points in 26 games after joining the lineup on February 5. The "Finnish Flash" also notched two tallies and two assists in Anaheim's six-game loss to Dallas in the conference quarterfinals.