ANAHEIM, Calif. - NHL playoffs MVP Scott Niedermayer will rejoin the Anaheim Ducks after sitting out the first 28 games of the season. The defending Stanley Cup champions are hoping Teemu Selanne will follow suit.

Ducks general manager Brian Burke announced Niedermayer’s decision at a news conference a half-hour before Wednesday night’s 4-1 victory over the Buffalo Sabres. When his opening remarks were replayed on the video board before the game and again during the first intermission, the sellout crowd of 17,174 roared its approval.

“I was pretty thrilled,” said Rob Niedermayer, who got the word from his big brother by phone on Tuesday. “For sure, I’ve had a lot of fun playing with him the last two years, and I know it was a tough decision for him. I know everyone in this room is happy to have him back.

“Being allowed to make a decision on his own time and relax, that was big. I don’t think that would happen with a lot of organizations, and this one’s run pretty classy.”

Niedermayer had taken time off to decide whether he wanted to retire. He wasn’t at the arena for the announcement.

“We view it as a very important day for us,” Burke said. “We’re obviously thrilled that he’s elected to come back and play. Right from the get-go, we’ve respected the battle that Scotty has fought over this decision, as far as whether to retire or come back.

“For a player who’s accomplished what he’s accomplished, and contributed to our game what he has, our position has been that he earned the right to take that time. You’re talking about a player that’s going to walk into the Hall of Fame someday, and his shoulders aren’t going to tough either side of the door frame.”

Niedermayer had two years and $13.5 million remaining on his contract. According to league rules, the Ducks suspended the 34-year-old defenseman without pay when he did not report to training camp with the rest of the team. So far, he has lost about $2.3 million in salary, an amount that will keep increasing until he plays his next game.

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“He’s made it clear his commitment is to come back for this season only, and I made it clear that we’re not going though this same dance again,” Burke said. “If he feels he’s going to retire at the end of next season, I’m going to produce those voluntary retirement players within about 2 minutes at the end of this year.”

Burke was driving back from Canada on July 1 when Niedermayer called him and said he was strongly leaning toward retirement. But the GM and his management team said they were not disturbed that Niedermayer and Selanne took the time off to reflect.

“In those five months since then, we’re encouraged Scotty to make his decision,” Burke said. “But our message to him from the get-go was: “Take your time. Don’t decide in a hasty manner, then miss the game and decide you want to come back. Now you’ve signed those retirement papers and you can’t come back. So take your time. We’ll be patient.”’

Niedermayer will skate tomorrow at the Ducks’ practice facility on Thursday morning and work out with strength coach Sean Skahan until the Ducks return from a three-game road trip. Then he’ll begin practicing with the team.

“The player owes us, in this case, 21 days of training camp. But it’s our discretion what number of days of that 21 that the player has to fulfill,” Burke said. “Scotty’s status does not change. He is still a suspended player, and is not a roster player until we say he is. We’ll see how his fitness levels are and then we’ll make a decision. Given his conditioning fanaticism, my guess is we’re looking at seven to 10 days and we’ll see him in a game next week.”