Niedermayer has triple success

With the gold medal win in Prague at the 2004 IIHF World Championship, Canadian deefenseman Scott Niedermayer joined an elite group of 14 players that have had won an Olympic gold medal an IIHF World Championship gold and the NHL Stanley Cup.

Niedermayer’s first accolade came in 1995 when he contributed 11 points in 20 playoff games for the New Jersey Devils in their bid to win the Stanley Cup. It proved to be the start of a dynasty for both Niedermayer and the Devils as the team has won two additional Stanley Cups (2000, 2003) during his 12-year career in New Jersey. He is one of only five players that were a part of all three Stanley Cup winning teams in New Jersey.

Niedermayer was asked to join the 2002 Canadian Olympic Team in Salt Lake City, where his team struck gold against the United States. He played in six games and had one goal and one assist.

	 Scott Niedermayer had three times the fun after winning the gold in Prague

Tom complete the trifecta, Niedermayer joined this year’s Canadian national team after the Devils were eliminated early from the playoffs. Due to New Jersey’s success in recent years in the playoffs, it was one of the first times he was available to play for Canada at the World Championship.

The rest was history as Niedermayer, along with his Canadian teammates, which included his brother Rob, scored four unanswered goals against Sweden en route to a 5-3 gold medal victory--the 23rd for Canada, and the first-ever for Niedermayer.

"I was just thanking him (Scott) for coming over here," said brother Rob. "He didn't have to come. Playing together and winning this gold medal together is the best feeling I ever had. He's such an amazing player. I wish I could play with him all year."

With the win, Niedermayer joined an exclusive list, which includes such stars as Peter Forsberg, Joe Sakic, Rob Blake and Valeri Kamensky. For the complete list, please read on.

1. Tomas Jonsson (SWE 12.04.60)
WS 91
OG 94
SC 82, 83 (NY Islanders)

2. Hakan Loob (SWE 03.07.60)
WS 87, 91
OG 94
SC 89 (Calgary)

3. Mats Naslund (SWE 31.10.59)
WS 91
OG 94
SC 86 (Montreal)

4. Valeri Kamensky (RUS 18.04.66)
WS 86, 89, 90
OG 88
SC 96 (Colorado)

5. Alexei Gusarov (RUS 08.07.64)
WS 89, 90
OG 88
SC 96 (Colorado)

6. Peter Forsberg (SWE 20.07.73)
WS 92, 98
OG 94
SC 96, 01 (Colorado)

7. Vyacheslav Fetisov (RUS 20.04.58)
WS 78, 81, 82, 83, 86, 89, 90
OG 84,88
SC 97, 98 (Detroit)

8. Igor Larionov (RUS 03.12.60)
WS 82, 83, 86, 89
OG 84, 88
SC 97, 98 (Detroit)

9. Alexander Mogilny (RUS 18.02.69)
WS 89
OG 88
SC 00 (New Jersey)

10. Vladimir Malakhov (RUS 30.08.68)
WS 90
OG 92
SC 00 (New Jersey)

11. Joe Sakic (CAN 07.07.69)
WS 94
OG 02
SC 96, 01 (Colorado)

12. Brendan Shanahan (CAN 23.01.69)
WS 94
OG 02
SC 97, 98 (Detroit)

13. Rob Blake (CAN 10.12.69)
WS 94, 97
OG 02
SC 01 (Colorado)

14. Scott Niedermayer (CAN, 31.08.73)
WS 04
0G 02
SC 95, 00, 03 (New Jersey)