Former Winnipeg Jet great and Stanley Cup champion with the Anaheim Ducks, Teemu Selanne is going into the Hockey Hall of Fame.As anyone with a memory better than 10 years (and believe me, I know that's pushing it for some of us) Teemu Selanne was one of the greatest hockey players in history. Not just in the National Hockey League, but in Finland and in international competition.
He utterly destroyed the rookie goal and points record established in the 1977-78 NHL season by Mike Bossy (enthralling Winnipeg hockey fans, as well as the rest of the hockey world with his 76 goals and 132 point output in his first season in the NHL.
He enthralled Winnipeg hockey fans for just a short two years until the idiot (then) owners of the Winnipeg Jets/Phoenix Coyotes had him traded to save money? To save money? Did they realize what he had just accomplished? 76 golas as a rookie? 132 points? Forget the fact that they traded future Hall-Of-Famer Teemu Selanne to the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim for Oleg Teverdosky and Chad Kilger. Who? Exactly.Did these brain-dead, so-called "hockey men" know that he would double the gate, not to mention merchandise sales? Idiots!!!
They could have claimed the man responsible for 684 goals, 773 assists for 1457 points in 1451 games played. A mark that will not be touched in any of our lifetimes. He is the highest scoring Finn in league history. Not to mention he is also in the International Ice Hockey Federeation (IIHF) Hall Of Fame as the leading points-getter in international hockey history with 43 points.
Teemu Selanne, one of the greatest players in hockey history, and certainly one of the three greatest players in Winnipeg Jets history will be going into the Hockey Hall Of Fame along with Paul Kariya, Mark Recchi and Dave Andreychuck. Team Canada Women's gold-medal member Danielle Goyette is also being inducted.
Congrats to the Finnish Flash, Teemu Selanne. A great hockey player and an even better gentleman and ambassador for the game.
And still, forever a Jet.
