The Buffalo News:

"The Anaheim Ducks have agreed to a three-year, $9 million with Lydman, who has been in Buffalo since 2005-06. Lydman made $3.15 million with the Sabres last season, and the average salary of his four-year deal was $2.875 million.

The Sabres offered Lydman a two-year contract.

"It was the term," Lydman said by phone from Finland. "I would have liked to stay, but two years was their offer, and Anaheim offered three years, so that was the biggest thing."

The 32-year-old led the Sabres in ice time during the playoffs and was consistently their leader in blocked shots and hits. The Ducks were in need of defense after the retirement of Scott Niedermayer, although the players' skills are wildly different."