The NHL Redux: Teemu Selanne forever charming the Ducks

When the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim acquired Teemu Selanne from the Winnipeg Jets in February of 1996, it was as if the franchise acquired a beating heart.

Selanne was a gregarious, larger-than-life personality who could skate fast, live faster and score goals at a clip greater than any rookie in the history of the NHL. He sizzled in Winnipeg, even though he was unable to duplicate his remarkable 76-goal, 132-point rookie campaign.

But it all changed in a Flash.

It began on a blue line at the Fleet Center in Boston during the introductions for the Eastern Conference roster at the 1996 All-Star Game. By happenstance (well, numerical order), Selanne stood shoulder-to-shoulder with Paul Kariya, who was soaking in his first All-Star experience amid his most productive season as a pro. 

The two shared a few laughs, marveled at the who's who skating onto the ice and maybe, just maybe, looked across at Mario Lemieux and Jaromir Jagr and thought to themselves: 'Those two chumps have nothing on us.'

Selanne and Kariya went their separate ways, however, with the former prepared to live out his final playing days in Winnipeg before the club relocated to Phoenix at season's end. That was the plan, at least. 

Four weeks later, at the Jets' liquidation blowout, Anaheim acquired the transcendent, unmistakable Selanne, who would lift the incipient franchise off the mat for the low-low price of Chad Kilger and Oleg Tverdovsky. 

And before long, head coach Ron Wilson had fallen for Selanne's dizzying charm, much like Kariya. 

"I think the epitaph on Teemu's tombstone is going to read, 'I had a million friends and not one enemy,' " Wilson told Sports Illustrated less than a year into Selanne's tenure. "He's a guy you just love being around."

On Sunday, with the reincarnated Jets in town nearly two decades after his trade, the Ducks will raise Selanne's No. 8 to the rafters to hang above the pond he starred on for parts of 15 seasons. 

His celebration won't be limited to southern California, central Canada and Helsinki. The surefire future Hall of Famer's impact goes well beyond helping Anaheim win its first Stanley Cup, his long-standing rookie records and the four Olympic medals he captured for his native Finland. 

Much like the lopsided trade that preceded his own, Selanne followed Wayne Gretzky's lead, transforming a Disney creation into a viable NHL franchise and helping secure hockey's place in California. 

The testimonials will stir Sunday, but it'll be difficult to encapsulate Selanne's wiring better than his own words spoken nearly two decades ago. 

"Athletes are so lucky, and it doesn't take so much for us to do these things. Once a nurse at the hospital told me that after we visit, the kids don't need painkillers for a week," he told Sports Illustrated. "That made me feel so, so good, you know?"

Selanne gave it all to the game that gave him everything and is deserving of every handshake, stick tap and plaudit that will come his way this weekend. 

The Next 48

Pittsburgh Penguins at Montreal Canadiens: Saturday, 7:00 p.m. ET

Two Eastern Conference alphas locked in at 54 points through 40 games apiece will look to gain an edge Saturday night at the Bell Centre, where the Canadiens host the Penguins. 

It's the third and final meeting between the two sides this season, a series split with the visiting team winning on both occasions. 

Goals continue to elude Sidney Crosby, but the Penguins' superstar might be on the right stage to breakout Saturday. Crosby owns 16 goals, 37 points and three game-winners in 27 games versus the Canadiens. 

Winnipeg Jets at Anaheim Ducks: Sunday, 9:00 p.m. ET

Selanne's banner raising will be the main event, but there's a tasty matchup to follow in Sunday's nightcap. 

Anaheim has finally relinquished sole possession of top spot in the overall standings, conceding a share to the Nashville Predators on Thursday. The Ducks have been a defiant group, considering the turbulence their season has undertaken. 

Meanwhile, the Jets have defied similar odds to hold down a postseason spot, but are slipping of late, having lost four of five. With the Los Angeles Kings preceding Sunday's date with Anaheim on a back-to-back, the Jets have a chance to make a hard-earned statement and stop a slide in emphatic fashion. 

The Pylon

Hockey players are at their very worst on the losing end of an elimination game at the World Junior Hockey Championship.

That statement, albeit completely hyperbolic, was proven by Russia's Ziat Paigin, who rather moronically chucked his stick into the stands and hit a fan after Canada struck gold.

That's a dangerous flying projectile, Ziat. And that there is a lawsuit. 

Parting Shots (WJHC Edition)

1) Connor McDavid is the clear-cut top NHL prospect heading into this year's draft after outplaying Jack Eichel at the WJHC. Of course, the Canadian had an extra couple games to round into form, but any suspense heading into June will be strictly contrived. 

2) As theScore's Justin Bourne points out, McDavid's tendency is to return to the direction from which he came on breakaway opportunities. If we're going to nitpick, McDavid should continue working on his hands and add to his scoring arsenal in the back half of this season. 

3) It was as much Winnipeg's tournament as it was Canada's. The Jets had a league-most six prospects competing, including all-tournament team member Josh Morrissey, the ingeniously talented Nic Petan and Denmark's Nikolaj Ehlers, who flashed superstar potential throughout. 

4) Max Domi plays in Ontario's junior hockey mecca, has suited up in three Memorial Cups and has now had his name chanted at the Bell Centre and ACC. It'll be easy playing in front of a few thousand fans in Arizona next year, won't it?

5) Martin Reway, Ivan Barbashev and Shea Theodore were born to play for the Canadiens, Blues and Ducks, respectively. 

6) The United States' Auston Matthews, who hails from Scottsdale, Ariz., is a legitimate contender for the top overall selection in 2016. 

7) Darnell Nurse, who's had ups and downs since being drafted seventh overall by the Edmonton Oilers in 2013, hit his peak in the final period of the tournament. His work behind the Canadian net was downright spectacular. 

8) Denis Godla was named the tournament's top goaltender despite allowing 18 goals to Zach Fucale's six. And completely deserved it. 

9) My New Year's resolution was to be more like Curtis Lazar. It hasn't worked out. Nobody can smile that much, man. 

10) More than one in five people in Canada watched the gold medal game. Crazy.