Teemu Selanne
From AllDucksWiki
| Position | Right Wing |
|---|---|
| Duck | 1996-2001
2005-Present |
| Height | - |
| Weight | - |
| Jersey # | 8 (1996-2001, 2006-Present)
13 (2005-2006) |
| Nickname | The Finnish Flash |
| Birthplace | Helsinki, Finland 
|
| Birthday | July 3, 1970 |
| Now | Current Roster |
A former kindergarten teacher, Selanne (who has a twin brother, Paavo) played for Jokerit in the Finnish SM-liiga from 1988 to 1992. He was selected by the Winnipeg Jets 10th overall in the 1988 NHL Entry Draft. He scored 76 goals in his rookie season, an all-time rookie record. Following his rookie season, Jets players Keith Tkachuk and Alexei Zhamnov formed a line known as "The Olympic Line," as all three were Olympians. Selanne suffered a torn Achilles tendon in his second season, limiting him to 51 games. The Jets had suffered a six-game quarterfinal loss to the Vancouver Canucks in 1993 and with Selanne injured, and he missed the 1994 playoffs.
On February 7, 1996, he was traded, along with Marc Chouinard and a fourth-round draft pick, to the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim in return for Chad Kilger, Oleg Tverdovsky, and a third-round pick. The trade was one in a series of moves made by the Jets as a result of the team's financial difficulties.[citation needed]
In Anaheim, Selanne teamed up with Paul Kariya to form one of the most potent scoring duos in the NHL and also picked a nomination for the Lady Byng Trophy, losing to Joe Sakic. On March 5, 2001, Selanne was again traded, this time to the San Jose Sharks for Jeff Friesen, Steve Shields, and a second-round draft pick.
Selanne was involved in controversy with the Sharks in 2002-03. On the other side of the United States, New Jersey Devil Scott Gomez was struggling under Devs coach Pat Burns' iron rule. Gomez and Selanne were almost swapped in a multi-player trade, but at the 11th hour Selanne vetoed being sent to New Jersey.
After two full seasons in San Jose, Selanne signed with the Colorado Avalanche as a free agent on July 3, 2003 (his 33rd birthday) where he was again joined by Kariya. After a season (2003-04) in Colorado that saw his production decline, Selanne underwent knee surgery during the 2004-05 NHL lockout and signed with Jokerit in the Finnish National League. He was unable to play any games, because rehabilitation took longer than expected. Selanne rejoined the Mighty Ducks signing a one year contract on August 22, 2005. With his knee rehabilitated, Selanne led the Mighty Ducks in scoring in 2005-06 despite playing without former team-mate and scoring counterpart Paul Kariya. Selanne dominated the statistics sheet in the 2005-06 NHL season registering 40 goals and 50 assists for 90 points in 80 games.
Selanne has participated in four Winter Olympics for Finland. He has won two medals, one silver and one bronze.
Selanne recorded his 1,000th NHL point on January 30, 2006 with his second goal against the Los Angeles Kings, becoming the 70th player, as well as the seventh European player, to achieve the milestone.
Selanne married Sirpa Vuorinen on July 19, 1996; they have 3 sons: Eemil Ilmari, Eetu Nikodemus, and Leevi.
Selanne was back amongst the NHL's elite players after the 2005-06 NHL season, when he was awarded the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy, which recognizes perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey, designating Selanne as the comeback player of the year.
Selanne received a one-year, $3.75-million contract extension for the 2006-2007 season with the newly-renamed Anaheim Ducks, after deciding to continue his NHL career.
Selanne scored his 500th NHL career goal against the Colorado Avalanche after getting by former Avalanche teammate and captain Joe Sakic to find the net against Colorado's Jose Theodore. Selanne joined fellow countryman Jari Kurri as the only Finnish-born players to have scored 500 goals in their NHL careers. On November 26, 2006 in a game against the Calgary Flames, Selanne scored his 600th point as a Duck.
Selanne played in his 1,000th NHL game on December 31, 2006 against the Minnesota Wild.[1]. The "Finnish Flash" moved past Bryan Trottier for 27th place on the NHLs all time soring list with a first period goal against the Coyotes in Phoenix on February 15, 2007 with his father, Ilmari, in attendance (the fathers of 18 Anaheim players and one of the player's father-in-law were at the game as part of a team-building experience).
Selanne tied the Anaheim franchise record for goals (previously held by Paul Kariya) with his 300th in a Ducks jersey on February 17, 2007 when he flipped a second-period powerplay goal past Matieu Garon in a game against the Los Angeles Kings at Staples Center. One night later, Selanne took sole possession of the franchise record, scoring his 301st goal with Anaheim with a powerplay goal at Honda Center in Anaheim in the second consecutive game against the Kings.
With two goals against the Vancouver Canucks on March 11, 2007, Selanne became the first player over the age of 35 to record consecutive 40-goal seasons. The two goals, both on the power play, moved Selanne into a tie with Hall of Famer Frank Mahovlich on the NHL's all-time goal-scoring list at 533, the 26th highest total in the league's history. Finally, they gave him 107 power play goals in a Ducks uniform, moving him into a tie for the franchise record with Kariya.
Following the 2007 Stanley Cup win, Teemu was unsure of his future, he did not start the season with the Ducks organization, istead choosing to stay home and contemplate retirement, and be present for the birth of his daughter. On January 28th, 2008, Selanne announced his Return to the Ducks, Joining the team for practice the same day, before leaving the following day on a 14 day road trip.
Awards
2005/2006: Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy
Duck Statistics
| Regular Season | Playoffs | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||
| 1995-96 | 28 | 16 | 20 | 36 | 4 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | ||
| 1996-97 | 78 | 51 | 58 | 109 | 34 | 11 | 7 | 3 | 10 | 4 | ||
| 1997-98 | 73 | 52 | 34 | 86 | 30 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | ||
| 1998-99 | 75 | 47 | 60 | 107 | 30 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 2 | ||
| 1999-00 | 79 | 33 | 52 | 85 | 12 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | ||
| 2000-01 | 61 | 26 | 33 | 59 | 36 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | ||
| 2005-06 | 80 | 40 | 50 | 90 | 44 | 16 | 6 | 8 | 14 | 6 | ||
| 2006-07 | 82 | 48 | 46 | 94 | 82 | 21 | 5 | 10 | 15 | 10 | ||
| 2007-08 | 17 | 7 | 6 | 13 | 2 | |||||||
| Ducks Totals | 573 | 320 | 359 | 679 | 274 | 52 | 20 | 23 | 43 | 22 | ||
* stats as of 3.12.08
