Schneider is happy to give his boot the boot

Mathieu Schneider felt so good about having the protective boot removed from his left foot that he found a way to celebrate the occasion.

“I feel like I’ve lost my ball-and-chain,” Schneider said, beaming. “I’m going to run over it with my car. Maybe I’ll have my kids do it.”

It has been a mostly solitary existence for Schneider thus far with the Ducks.

The 38-year-old defenseman broke a bone in his ankle in his first appearance with his new team -- during in an exhibition game against the Kings on Sept. 15.

Schneider signed a two-year, $11.25-million contract on July 1, ostensibly to fill the skates of Scott Niedermayer, who is still contemplating retirement.

Considered one of the more productive NHL defensemen over the last decade, Schneider would like to show the Ducks he was worth the investment.

“It’s certainly no fun,” said Schneider, who has 200 goals and 663 points over his 17-year career. “Especially when you’re coming to a new team. You want to fit in right away and get on the road and kind of bond with the guys.

“It’s going to happen. For me, the nice thing in it happening this early is everyone’s still finding their stride. We’re not sitting here in January when the league’s going at full speed.”

Because he has been able to go through regular off-ice workouts, Schneider said he was hoping to be back on the ice by the end of next week.

“You can see how far it’s come, how much it’s healed,” he said. “There’s bone growing in there.”

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The Ducks won three in a row on their recent homestand and, perhaps more important, settled into their regular routine after an unprecedented season-opening trip that covered eight time zones, beginning with two games in London.

Whether that trip will have a long-term impact is yet to be seen, according to Coach Randy Carlyle.

“I think that’s too early to tell,” he said. “Have we played a better brand of hockey? Have we been more consistent in our effort? Have we played a better structural game? Yeah. But this is a marathon and we’re only at game 10.”

In past seasons, Carlyle has said that he generally waits until the 20-game mark to grade his team.

“It’s far, far too early to say where we’re at as a team,” he said. “Do we feel better about our game? In some ways, yes, and in some areas, no.”

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Center Todd Marchant appears closer to rejoining the lineup after sitting out the last two games because of a bruised right ankle. He injured the ankle Sunday when he blocked a shot by Minnesota Wild defenseman Kurtis Foster.

“Obviously, we’re not going to put a player in a situation where he’s still injured and he can’t provide us with 100%,” Carlyle said. “We’re asking him to tell us after the morning skate.

“All I can say is if he didn’t leave practice, then there’s progress. That can change.”

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TONIGHT

at Dallas, 5 PDT, FSN Prime

Site -- American Airlines Center.

Radio -- 830.

Records -- Ducks 4-4-1; Stars 3-2-2.

Record vs. Stars (2006-07) -- 4-2-2.

Update -- Mike Modano, the Stars’ longtime franchise player, is struggling as he nears Phil Housley’s record for points by an American player. Modano, who needs four to tie Housley’s total of 1,232, has one goal and one assist in the first seven games. The Stars are coming off a 3-2 shootout win over the Columbus Blue Jackets on Wednesday night after losing the two previous games in overtime.

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eric.stephens@latimes.com