You knew it wouldn’t take long, but the Anaheim Ducks are going to retire Teemu Selanne’s number.
The Ducks announced they’ll be lifting his No. 8 into the rafters on January 11, 2015 when they host the Winnipeg Jets. In 15 seasons with the Ducks, the “Finnish Flash” piled up 457 of his 684 career goals and had 988 points with Anaheim alone. He is, without a doubt, the franchise’s greatest player and the face of the Ducks franchise. He was a member of the 2007 Ducks team that won the Stanley Cup.
While retiring his number was never in doubt, there’s the possibility Selanne will have a something else on his schedule that night. Jokerit of the KHL, who has been wooing Selanne to play one more year in Finland, has a game against CSKA Moscow on January 11.
It’d be a bit of a downer to have a number retirement ceremony without the guest of honor, no? Selanne hasn’t made a decision whether he’ll play in Finland next season, but for the time being it looks like he’ll be in Southern California come January.