ANAHEIM, Calif. - The Anaheim Ducks will retire Teemu Selanne's No. 8 next year and they'll do it when the team from his first NHL city is in town.
The club will host "Teemu Tribute Night" on Jan. 11, 2015 when the Ducks host the Winnipeg Jets. Selanne, who will become the first Ducks player to have his number retired, will see his No. 8 jersey raised to the rafters at Honda Center.
"Teemu is our franchise icon and deserves to be the first player in club history to have his jersey retired," Ducks owners Henry and Susan Samueli said Friday in a statement. "His dedication to this franchise and our community is unmatched. We eagerly anticipate Jan. 11, when we pay tribute to a world-class player, ambassador and champion, our own Teemu Selanne."
Selanne finished his Ducks career as the franchise's all-time leader in almost every offensive category, including goals (457), assists (531), points (988), plus/minus (plus-120), games (966), power-play goals (182), game-winning goals (77), overtime goals (6) and shots (2,964). He also helped Anaheim win the Stanley Cup in 2007.
"What a great honour," he said. "The Samuelis and the entire Ducks organization have made this a very special place for me and my family. I look forward to sharing this special night with our fans, who have treated me so well for 18 years."
Selanne started his NHL career in 1992 with the original Winnipeg Jets, winning the Calder Memorial Trophy after breaking the single-season rookie record for goals with 76. That version of the Jets eventually moved to Phoenix.
