Teemu Selanne has made his decision.
The 43-year-old forward will be coming back for one last season with the Anaheim Ducks, signing a one-year, $2-million pact with the club.
Selanne made his announcement, as he did last year, through a comical video:
Previously an unrestricted free agent this summer, Selanne, who has spent the last eight seasons with the Ducks, has decided to make it nine. The future Hall of Famer had 24 points in 46 games last season and has spent a total of 14½ seasons with the Ducks throughout his 20-season NHL career.
After a strong regular season, the Ducks were upset by the Detroit Red Wings in a thrilling second-round series of the 2013 NHL playoffs that went seven games.
“I really feel there is unfinished business, and we have a better team than that. Everyone in that locker room feels that way,” Selanne said on a conference call Friday. “We have so many good things going on right now. That’s why I’m here. I’m hungry to win again.”
Ducks general manager Bob Murray told NHL.com earlier this summer he would welcome the Helsinki, Finland, native back to the team as long as Selanne was committed.
“I want Teemu to play if he’s 100 per cent sure he wants to play,” Murray said. “When you get to that age, he’s got to want it bad. If he’s sure he wants it bad, then we’ll make it work, whatever I have to do.”
Selanne was drafted 10th overall in 1988 by the Winnipeg Jets and spent his first three-and-a-half seasons with the old Jets franchise, which became the Coyotes in 1996.
He has also suited up for the San Jose Sharks and Colorado Avalanche during his NHL career.
When Selanne retires at the end of 2013-14, it will mark the end of one of the greatest careers in hockey history, as he’s currently ranked 11th all-time on the NHL’s all-time goals list with 675 and ranked 15th all-time in points with 1,430 in 1,387 regular-season games.
In July, Selanne was named to his Finland’s Olympic selection camp roster.
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