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Selanne's joy in returning to Winnipeg
Source: Agencies |
December 16, 2011, Friday
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TEEMU Selanne is looking forward to returning to the city where he was dubbed the Finnish Flash.
"The memories that I have, I'm very excited," the Anaheim Ducks' 41-year-old right-winger said ahead of their visit to Winnipeg tomorrow.
"It's going to be a very special day there and I can't wait."
Selanne started his NHL career with the old Winnipeg Jets in 1992, and his 76 goals and 132 points in that season still stand as a rookie record, earning him a Calder Trophy.
He still has friends in the city and marked his calendar with the Winnipeg date as soon as the schedule came out. Selanne also enjoys spotting his old former Jets No. 13 jersey in a crowd. "The memories I have from there were so awesome," he said.
One memory that he doesn't relish is the day Winnipeg traded him to the Ducks in 1996, just before the Jets moved to Phoenix to become the Coyotes.
Trade rumors
Coming from Finland, he was used to players staying with the same team for their whole careers. He says he was told at the time not to worry about trade rumors and that he would stay with the team as it moved. Instead, he was traded for Chad Kilger, Oleg Tverdovsky and a third-round draft pick.
"The first couple of days I was just totally shocked about what happened," Selanne said.
"It was kind of a weird business to realize and face that there's no feelings and you can get traded any time and there's no control with that. That was a big adjustment here."
He moved to San Jose in 2000-01, spending three seasons with the Sharks and another with the Colorado Avalanche before returning to Anaheim for the 2005-06 season.
Last summer, when he was a free agent, the new Winnipeg Jets came calling but he decided to stay put, if he was going to play at all, something he says he has been pondering every season for about the last five.
"The biggest question right now is if I can play, not where I'm going to play," he says. "I was very honored that they called but it's too late to move."
"The memories that I have, I'm very excited," the Anaheim Ducks' 41-year-old right-winger said ahead of their visit to Winnipeg tomorrow.
"It's going to be a very special day there and I can't wait."
Selanne started his NHL career with the old Winnipeg Jets in 1992, and his 76 goals and 132 points in that season still stand as a rookie record, earning him a Calder Trophy.
He still has friends in the city and marked his calendar with the Winnipeg date as soon as the schedule came out. Selanne also enjoys spotting his old former Jets No. 13 jersey in a crowd. "The memories I have from there were so awesome," he said.
One memory that he doesn't relish is the day Winnipeg traded him to the Ducks in 1996, just before the Jets moved to Phoenix to become the Coyotes.
Trade rumors
Coming from Finland, he was used to players staying with the same team for their whole careers. He says he was told at the time not to worry about trade rumors and that he would stay with the team as it moved. Instead, he was traded for Chad Kilger, Oleg Tverdovsky and a third-round draft pick.
"The first couple of days I was just totally shocked about what happened," Selanne said.
"It was kind of a weird business to realize and face that there's no feelings and you can get traded any time and there's no control with that. That was a big adjustment here."
He moved to San Jose in 2000-01, spending three seasons with the Sharks and another with the Colorado Avalanche before returning to Anaheim for the 2005-06 season.
Last summer, when he was a free agent, the new Winnipeg Jets came calling but he decided to stay put, if he was going to play at all, something he says he has been pondering every season for about the last five.
"The biggest question right now is if I can play, not where I'm going to play," he says. "I was very honored that they called but it's too late to move."
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