Selanne will decide soon
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Winger has begun a skating program to determine whether he is mentally up to playing again.
By Eric Stephens, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer
January 7, 2008
The Ducks remain very interested in bringing Teemu Selanne back into the fold provided that the superstar forward is serious about returning to hockey.

Selanne has begun a skating program at Anaheim Ice to determine whether he is mentally up to playing again as he kept open that possibility by not filing retirement paperwork with the NHL.

The 37-year-old winger and 10-time All-Star, who has 540 goals, has reportedly said that he would make a decision this month. Selanne could not be reached for comment Sunday.

As he has all along, General Manager Brian Burke said he has not pressed Selanne for a timetable on when he'll make a decision. In theory, the Ducks cannot do so since he is an unrestricted free agent and beholden to no team.

"I have been clear with Teemu," Burke said. "He has to tell me he has a passion to return and play. If he does, we have great interest in bringing him back. But not unless he truly wants to return to the Ducks."

Selanne has maintained that he would play only for the Ducks, the team on which he won a Stanley Cup last season for the first time in his 14-year NHL career.

Burke said he is confident he can get the popular star under what would probably be a pro-rated contract that would include bonuses on top of a low base salary. The Ducks have about $2 million remaining under the salary cap and bonuses do not count against it.

Because he is over 35, Selanne is eligible to make performance bonuses under the league's collective bargaining agreement. Last season, Selanne played under a one-year, $3.75-million contract but wound up making another $1 million in bonuses because of the Ducks' run to the Cup.

The first player over age 35 to record consecutive 40-goal seasons, Selanne led the Ducks with 48 goals and 94 points last season and, if right physically, could provide a boost to a team that is still short a proven scorer.

The Ducks rank 11th in the Western Conference with 107 goals and are well off their club record of 258 set during their championship season.


This w8ing makes me even more nervous.
But i hope it will worth it!!!

I think Selanne might come back 1 more time because Anaheim has a solid chance at repeating the championship this year. He's probably waiting so he can get back into condition and make sure the Ducks are playing well without him.

I heard Forsberg is supposed to decide soon, too. However, I think Forsberg won't come back because of his past injury history/surgeries finally catching up to him. I thought I heard something a few months ago that Forsberg tried playing a game in the Swedish league, but he had to quit because he wasn't feeling good afterwards.

Yeah Forsberg played for MoDo from Sweeden,but that din't go so well.
Also Selanne was to sign with Leksand an team from 2. division in Sweeden,but now.....