Teemu Selanne number retirement is tonight

[RECCE]

Coyotes should retire his number too. His rookie season was insane.

what

Really don't get it or was that just a reaction to somewhat lame idea?

Yeah, he played for the Jets, not the Coyotes.

Another cringe worthy spectacle by the dogs, just like when the honoured Dale Hawerchuk?

No thanks.

 

[Jussi]

At 44 he was announced as the best hockey player of the year today at the Finnish sports gala (listed among all the athletes for their individual sports).

 

[mmbt]

Not to derail the thread or anything, but David Aebischer had a 2.09 G.A.A. and a .924 SV% with 4 Shutouts in the 2003-2004 season. If anything happened that year, it was the team that let Aebischer down.

Lots of goalies can put up good numbers on a good team, but his career as a whole would suggest that in the end he was no great shakes. And even if you felt like he was a very promising young goalie, if you're talking about Cup hopes, Aebischer was very much an unproven playoff netminder. He had all of 35 minutes of playoff experience when Kariya decided to go there. If I were gunning for a Cup, that sure wouldn't have been my first choice of destination. OTOH, if I were looking to maximize my offensive stats for free agency the next summer, that might have been the top choice.

Nonetheless, would like to see Kariya's number go up there along with Teemu's some day

Maybe. The problem to me is that I think he was a bit overrated after around '99 ... best player on a bad team doesn't mean he was still elite like he was from '96-98. And 3 years of superstar play just doesn't seem like enough to me, especially when coupled with his effort level the last few years as well as the way he left.

To me, Giguere should be next in line for the Ducks to have a jersey retired.

 

[TimThomas24]

This was so well done by the Ducks. I was never a Teemu fan and had no intentions of watching it but I saw it on the NHLNetwork and couldnt change the channel once it started. Almost brought tears to my eyes.

 

[Raimo Sillanpää]

League wide scoring in 1992-93 was way higher than it has been post lockout. 18 year old Selanne didn't even play in the NHL. Ovechkin was the most dominant player league wide for a course of 3 years. Selanne was a top 5 player league wide in the late 90s. There's a big difference. I don't really get the floating comment - both guys rely on their speed and neither has ever been good in their own end.

Ovechkin was awesome then, but Ovechkin did not have to compete with Gretzky (93-94), prime Jagr (94-95 lockout season), Lemieux (95-96) during the same three years. Ovechkin despite being excellent, would not have been top for 3 years then.
Throw in an achilles tendon injury and.. Back then it was a massive sports injury - can only injury it once, once its gone it's never the same.
I remember a story of a talented tennis pro who was on the ATP tour, rising rapidly. Boom, his achilles tendon went. Career over, became a teacher. That was in the 80's but still.

Top 5 in the mid 90's was a big thing, to see how big, you don't need to look back very far. 2006-2007. Ovechkin's second year in the NHL 92 points at 19, Selänne at 37 got 82, the goats was practically as good as a physically superb athlete at his best.

Going back on topic - I think the best part of Selänne's number being retired by Anaheim is that it's a story, a great one. World class young superstar the world at his feet, injury troubles, career all but over, what a come back, cup, jersey in the rafters. That's the sort of stuff that you want to tell your grandkids about the guy they have only heard about but never seen, well before their time.

 

[Minttu]

At 44 he was announced as the best hockey player of the year today at the Finnish sports gala (listed among all the athletes for their individual sports).

Congrats to Teemu, but the Finnish sports gala is just a joke.

 

[Teemu Salami]

At 44 he was announced as the best hockey player of the year today at the Finnish sports gala (listed among all the athletes for their individual sports).

No idea what the Finnish sports gala is, but the more recognition Teemu gets the better.

 

[HanSolo]

This was so well done by the Ducks. I was never a Teemu fan and had no intentions of watching it but I saw it on the NHLNetwork and couldnt change the channel once it started. Almost brought tears to my eyes.

People like this exist?

 

[Terry Yake]

People like this exist?

sure they do

red wings fans

 

[Calderon]

Ovechkin was awesome then, but Ovechkin did not have to compete with Gretzky (93-94), prime Jagr (94-95 lockout season), Lemieux (95-96) during the same three years. Ovechkin despite being excellent, would not have been top for 3 years then.
Throw in an achilles tendon injury and.. Back then it was a massive sports injury - can only injury it once, once its gone it's never the same.
I remember a story of a talented tennis pro who was on the ATP tour, rising rapidly. Boom, his achilles tendon went. Career over, became a teacher. That was in the 80's but still.

Top 5 in the mid 90's was a big thing, to see how big, you don't need to look back very far. 2006-2007. Ovechkin's second year in the NHL 92 points at 19, Selänne at 37 got 82, the goats was practically as good as a physically superb athlete at his best.

Going back on topic - I think the best part of Selänne's number being retired by Anaheim is that it's a story, a great one. World class young superstar the world at his feet, injury troubles, career all but over, what a come back, cup, jersey in the rafters. That's the sort of stuff that you want to tell your grandkids about the guy they have only heard about but never seen, well before their time.

Not only did Teemu have the achilles tendon injury but there was also the case of a broken shin as a 19-year-old before he even came to the NHL! It's quite remarkable how little it probably ended up mattering – at least judging by the subsequent seasons in Jokerit and the NHL rookie season.

 

[Terry Yake]

Not only did Teemu have the achilles tendon injury but there was also the case of a broken shin as a 19-year-old before he even came to the NHL! It's quite remarkable how little it probably ended up mattering – at least judging by the subsequent seasons in Jokerit and the NHL rookie season.

that achilles injury he suffered in his second season was a very serious one and he lost some of that speed he showed during his rookie season as a result

obviously he was still one of the fastest guys in the league but i've always wondered how much faster he could have been minus that terrible injury

 

[mmbt]

that achilles injury he suffered in his second season was a very serious one and he lost some of that speed he showed during his rookie season as a result

obviously he was still one of the fastest guys in the league but i've always wondered how much faster he could have been minus that terrible injury

He went from Formula 1 type speed to like a DTM car. Still fast, but just not the same. As a rookie he was blowing by some elite skating dmen to a degree I couldn't believe. After the injury he was just one of the fastest, but no longerbdid he have an extra gear that no one else had. Shame.

 

[RorschachWJK]

Teemu actually said that Pronger was the only player who got under his skin.
"-He was just so big, mean and yapping all night long".

Finland and Canada played against each other during the olympics in 2006. Finland led that game 2-0 and during one intermission he and Pronger were shouting to eatch other in the locker rooms.
Teemu said that there were security and other players pulling them of from eatch other. "-We could not fight" was his quote and a smile after that meaning lucky for him
When Pronger joined the Ducks he said that maybe they need to sit down with Teemu and drink some Finlandia Vodka.

Pronger's mother is Finnish btw.

Finnish sport journalist told a story little while ago how they spent time with Teemu during the finals last year. Some fan came to talk to Teemu and after a little chat Teemu remembered her. "Oh, you were that girl sitting in there!" That happened on his first year with the Jets! And 20 years later he still remembers.

I didn't know. Thanks, great stuff!

 

[vavera4ka]

I didn't know. Thanks, great stuff!

I also remember reading thatwWhen Selanne was told over the phone that Pronger is coming to Anaheim, he first thought it was Sean, and then, when they said it was Chris, Teemu, and i almost quote, jumped up in excitement.

So, hard-core Ducks fans have forgiven Selanne the bad timing with his book? Or does it still bother someone to an extend that this ceremony was effected by it?

Teemu got where he did (in terms of both hockey and relationship with fans) because he is passionate and emotional. Those comments, though surely a bit disappointing, are very in line with his character.
If someone held those comments against him, it would be the same as hating on him for all those offsides due to his speed.
Shouldn't have made it into the book, but he is only HALF god (half human )

 

[Levie]

sure they do

red wings fans

And Sharks fans. He was terrible here.

 

[Tecumseh]

And Sharks fans. He was terrible here.

Funny enough, the only time during that ceremony where something he said wasn't followed by applause was when he thanked the San Jose and Colorado organizations.

 

[Plural]

And Sharks fans. He was terrible here.

Not exactly terrible, but definitely under his par. He led the Sharks in scoring in his last year there. Was Was third in his other full season. Albeit, he was dead last in +/-

 

[HanSolo]

Funny enough, the only time during that ceremony where something he said wasn't followed by applause was when he thanked the San Jose and Colorado organizations.

Nah we gave him a courtesy applause. After the boos.

 

[Terry Yake]

sharks fans always get on him about missing some sort of wide open net in the playoffs?

can any sharks fans refresh my memory on this?