Ducks gain Weight, then lose

Now there are no more excuses for the team that used to look like the Stanley Cup champions.

General Manager Brian Burke not only made a necessary financial move to pave the way for Scott Niedermayer’s return to the active roster, but he also shook up the Ducks on Friday by trading away center Andy McDonald, one of their most productive offensive players over the last two-plus seasons.

Not that it improved the product on ice as the Ducks capped an eventful afternoon with an emotionless clunker a few hours later, this one by a 5-2 count against the Minnesota Wild at the Honda Center.

Normally steady Jean-Sebastien Giguere was pulled in the second period after Eric Belanger’s power-play goal gave Minnesota a 3-0 lead. The Wild had scored just four goals in its last four games, but it hit that total in the second alone, all of them with the man advantage, rendering scores by Brad May and Todd Bertuzzi all but meaningless.

Giguere wouldn’t blame his performance on being distracted by losing McDonald, his roommate on the road. “Obviously, we’ve lost one of our buddies,” Giguere said “We’ve been here for eight years together. I’m losing a personal friend. Saying that, it wasn’t why we lost the game. But we’re sure sad to see him go.

“I personally didn’t play well. I think I owe it to my teammates and the fans to make sure my level of energy is a little bit higher. I make sure that I try to give my teammates a chance to win, and I didn’t do that tonight.”

They do get back Niedermayer, who didn’t play but he is expected to suit up for the first time Sunday against San Jose.

Faced with needing to trim about $900,000 in order to activate the star defenseman and find a solution to their cap issues for next season, Burke dealt away McDonald, who compiled 65 goals and 179 points since the start of the 2005-06 season.

In return, the Ducks got back veteran center Doug Weight from St. Louis to fill his spot on the second line. Both players have under-performed. McDonald had just four goals and 12 assists as he struggled without Teemu Selanne’s presence while Weight had four goals and 11 points with the Blues.

“This guy can pass the puck and compete,” Burke said of Weight, the seventh-leading U.S.-born scorer with 955 points. “To me, we got a warrior back playing the two-hole. Mac and Todd Bertuzzi were not successful developing any chemistry together. We’re hoping that Bert can find a little more chemistry with Doug Weight.”

The Ducks also received Michal Birner, a 21-year-old Czech prospect playing for the Blues’ minor-league team in Peoria, and will get a seventh-round pick in next year’s entry draft.

Burke confirmed that Mathieu Schneider was part of several potential deals that were discussed, but the Ducks’ GM wanted to keep intact the defensive corps.

Now the Ducks will suit up a top four of Schneider, Niedermayer, captain Chris Pronger and Francois Beauchemin, who leads the league in ice time. In addition, Schneider is signed through next season, and Burke said he wanted to keep him in case Niedermayer does retire for good.

“We kept coming back to what made us successful last season,” Burke said. “It wasn’t because we had a best group of forwards in the National Hockey League. It was our defense.”

McDonald is making $3.3 million in the second year of a three-year, $10-million extension he signed in 2006. Weight, who won a Stanley Cup with Carolina in 2006, is making $3.5 million, but his two-year contract is up at the end of the season.

If the Ducks let Weight walk, the additional $2.3 million they picked up in salary-cap relief will help them in their attempts to sign leading goal-scorer Corey Perry, who can be a restricted free agent in July. Burke said they will wait until after Jan. 1 before moving on Perry, who figures to command at least $3 million in his next contract.

Weight, who waived his no-trade clause, said he is looking forward to a sizable role in Anaheim after falling out of favor with Coach Andy Murray. The veteran has four goals in the last four games after not scoring in the first 25.

“It’s been a strange set of events here the last couple of days,” he said from his home in St. Louis. “All I know is right now, with each moment I’m more excited.”

Ducks Coach Randy Carlyle said he’s hopeful the uncertainty that has hung over the team has passed.

“We always remind the players that in pro sports, nothing’s ever safe,” Carlyle said. “The thing is we’re in the business to win. And if you don’t have success, inevitably there’s changes.”

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eric.stephens@latimes.com