Arguably one of the NHL's greatest and most respected players over the last twenty plus years, forward Teemu Selanne will have his iconic Number 8 hung from the rafters at the Honda Center by the Anaheim Ducks in a game against the Winnipeg Jets on January 11th, 2015.

Ducks owners Henry and Susan Samueli said "Teemu is our franchise icon and deserves to be the first player in club history to have his jersey retired. His dedication to this franchise and our community is unmatched. We eagerly anticipate Jan. 11, when we pay tribute to a world-class player, ambassador and champion, our own Teemu Selanne."

Selanne started his career in the 1992-1993 season ironically in Winnipeg, playing for the original Winnipeg Jets that are now the Arizona Coyotes. He set rookie records by scoring 76 goals and 56 assists. However, he spent most of his career in Anaheim with two seasons scoring at least 50 goals. He scored 51 goals in 1996-1997 and followed up with 52 goals in 1997-1998. Selanne's last nine seasons were with the Ducks where he helped them win the Stanley Cup in 2007.

"What a great honor. The Samuelis and the entire Ducks organization have made this a very special place for me and my family. I look forward to sharing this special night with our fans, who have treated me so well for 18 years." Selanne stated.

Last season, Selanne had nine goals and 27 points in 64 games while finishing his amazing NHL career with 684 goals and 1,457 points in 1,451 regular-season games. He will go down as 11th on the NHL all-time list for goals, 15th for points, third with 255 power-play goals,  and tied for third with 110 game-winning goals.

Selanne is the Ducks all-time leader in just about every area, including 457 goals, 531 assists, 988 points, a +120 plus/minus rating, 182 power-play goals, 77 game-winning goals, 6 overtime goals, and 2,964 shots in 966 games. For the Ducks in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, he also leads the franchise with 35 goals, 15 power-play goals, 8 game-winning goals, 274 shots in 96 games.

Throughout his Winter Olympic history, he was a huge part helping Finland win one silver medal and three bronze medals.

It is not every day, year, or even decade that a fan watches NHL players such as Teemu Selanne. He will go down indeed as not just a historic contributor to the Anaheim Ducks, but to the entire NHL, and to the game that is played in rinks all over the world.

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About the author
Adam Morse
Raised in South Florida, I have been a diehard Florida Panthers fan since their magical run to the 1996 Stanley Cup Finals and have never looked back. I am also a Miami Dolphins, Miami Marlins, and UCF Knights Football fan.