Teemu Selanne says he has three options to consider when it comes to his future in hockey.
The 43-year-old winger told Finnish newspaper Iltalehti he will likely either return to the Anaheim Ducks, sign with a different National Hockey League team, or retire from the game.
Selanne is currently an unrestricted free agent, but has spent the last eight seasons with the Ducks. The future Hall of Famer had 24 points in 46 games last season and has spent a total of 14 ½ seasons with the Ducks throughout his 20-season NHL career.
Ducks general manager Bob Murray recently told NHL.com he would welcome the Helsinki, Finland native back to the team as long as Selanne was 100 per cent committed to playing.
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“I want Teemu to play if he’s 100-percent 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.
“The only answer I need is he’s 100-percent sure he wants to play. That’s the only answer I need. I told him that the other day. I don’t care when he tells me. We’ll find a way. We’ve got lots of cap space, we have enough contracts.”
If Selanne chose to sign with a different NHL club, it’s believed there would be several teams interested in his services.
Winnipeg Jets fans have always praised the Finnish Flash and would likely welcome him back to the city with open arms. Selanne was drafted 10th overall in 1988 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.
If Selanne retired, it would 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.
Selanne added that he is also interested in representing Finland at the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics. In July, Selanne was named to his nation’s Olympic selection camp roster.
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