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Unrestricted free agent forward Teemu Selanne has decided to return to the Anaheim Ducks for another season, the team announced on Friday afternoon. While the decision took Selanne some time, the announcement was well worth the wait as it came in the form of this video:
Selanne agreed to a one-year, $2 million contract, according to Eric Stephens of the Orange County Register. This is a significant decline in annual salary as he earned upwards of $4 million per year over the last three seasons, according to CapGeek.com.
With Selanne's career winding down, every year brings the potential of his final game in the NHL. At the conclusion of the 2013 season, Selanne stated that he required time to determine whether he would pursue another season in the league. He met with Ducks management over the past few weeks to determine what his role would be if he returned to the club.
Apparently, the team's plans were enticing enough for the 43-year-old to come back for another year, which -- he states in the video -- will be his last.
Originally selected with the No. 10 overall pick in the 1988 NHL Entry Draft by the original Winnipeg Jets franchise, Selanne has played in 1,387 career regular season games and registered 1,430 points (675 goals and 755 assists). In 2013, he accumulated 24 points (12 goals and 12 assists) while averaging 15:42 of ice time over the course of 46 games. He played under a one-year contract with a pro-rated salary of $4.5 million.
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