Teemu Selanne's 5 Reasons to Play, 5 Reasons to Retire

In the NHL there are many examples of players who seem to flirt with the idea of retirement several seasons before they officially call it quits.

Teemu Selanne of the Anaheim Ducks seems to be struggling with the decision of whether to lace up the skates for a 19^th season in the NHL or hang said skates up for good.

So to follow is my list of five possible reasons for either side of the argument that might be making Selanne’s decision even more difficult than normal.

Reason No. 1 to Play: Fan Favorite

I genuinely believe that “fan favorite” barely scrapes the surface of how important Selanne is to the Anaheim fan base. Selanne has played in Anaheim for 12 of his 18 career NHL seasons, and has always been an important presence both on and off the ice.

Just hearing the fans chant “one more year” at the end of every season shows that the fans appreciate not only his talents but also him as an individual. Selanne always finds ways to involve the fans in the game, and the spectators and fans love that.

Reason No. 2 to Stay: Amazing Talent

Even at 41 years old, he continues to raise the standard of hockey, posting an impressive 80 points last season alone.

Last season, Selanne became the first player to score four game-tying goals in the final three minutes of regulation, the first player 40 years or older to score three goals and five points in a game, and the oldest player to score 45 goals in one season.

If statistics and records aren’t enough just watch the “Finnish Flash” in action and you won’t be able to doubt anything. 

Reason No. 3 to Stay: Key Veteran Presence in Strong Core of Young Forwards

With how many young players there are on the Anaheim roster, the veterans play a huge role in taking the rookies and other youngsters under their wing to groom them to their full potential.

By agreeing to sport the “A” on his jersey last season, and take the responsibility as alternate captain, Selanne pretty much agreed to step it up and be the team’s dad. Not only did he lead the team on the ice with an unparalleled work ethic and determination, but he also helped the newcomers find their rhythm in a Ducks jersey.

Reason No. 4 to Stay: He’d Miss out on Playing with Several Fellow Finns

A few seasons back, Selanne convinced Saku Koivu, a fellow Finnish countryman, to sign with Anaheim so that the two could play on the same team more than just for their country.

Next season, there are a total of three Finnish players on Anaheim’s roster aside from Teemu Selanne, including Saku Koivu, Toni Lydman and Sami Vatanen. Selanne has so much pride as a Finn (he spends most of his downtime in Finland), so I really believe that the fact that there are several Finnish players on the team might sway his decision about retirement.

Reason No. 5 to Stay: He’d Miss out on One More Chance for a Stanley Cup

Selanne only has one Stanley Cup Championship in his career, and to be honest, as long as his body will let him, I feel like he will keep fighting to be able to get a chance at a second day with Stanley before he retires.

All in all, Selanne has so many reasons to stay, and he’s worked so hard in his career that retirement or not seeing the beloved number eight on the ice, is a very difficult concept to grasp. 

Reason No. 1 to Retire: His Age

Hockey is a strenuous sport, specifically with all the difficult physical demands that the players force onto their bodies every day just to train. Selanne’s age has started to work against him considering the less than ideal conditions of his body.

Considering Selanne is the fourth oldest player currently in the NHL at 41 years old, just the stress of this young-man’s-game takes a much worse toll on an the body and mentality of an older player.

Reason No. 2 to Retire: Knee Injury Could Slow Him Down or Do Permanent Damage

Earlier on in this offseason Teemu Selanne underwent a knee operation to hopefully fix the problematic injury. In each of the past four seasons he has had incomplete seasons with the number of total games played ranging between 26 and 73.

Because Teemu Selanne has been plagued with some nagging injuries, anything that he injures or re-injures could spell some serious long-term damage. Also, past injuries might flare up in ways that could either cut the season short for him or keep him from playing his best.

Reason No. 3 to Retire: Might Not End on as Good of a Note as This Year

Anaheim’s team seems to be a pretty unsure roster going into this next season. With a lot of new faces, the entire team seems to be in a reconstruction mode and the dynamic will undoubtedly change.

The team’s makeover might prove to be worthwhile with a season that extends well into the postseason, or it could be a few steps backwards giving the Ducks an elongated offseason with no playing time in the playoffs. If the renovations don’t take the team into the postseason, and if he plays, Selanne might end up retiring with something of a bad taste in his mouth after a decent season like this past one.

Reason No. 4 to Retire: The Ducks Aren’t Seen as Strong Contenders for the Cup

Although Selanne wants to add another Stanley Cup Championship to his very impressive career resume, Anaheim isn’t really pegged as a top contender to make a solid run for the Cup next season.

Considering the enigmatic defense and the unstable goaltending situation, a strong offense can only carry a team so far. The Ducks aren’t getting much of a look as Cup contenders, and because of that Selanne might opt to hang up the skates instead.

Reason No. 5 to Retire: He’s a Dad

Selanne has played 18 seasons in the big leagues. Even though he still has speed and talent to face off against the younger hotshots, he has also sacrificed a lot of time he could have spent with his family.

As a father, retirement seems like a viable option to find some time to spend with his kids. Even though it is unfortunate to have to retire when he’s still so clearly passionate about the game, there is always the silver lining of having more time as a family.