Teemu Selanne to Return for Last Season with Anaheim Ducks

Future Hall of Famer Teemu Selanne agreed to a one-year contract extension with the Anaheim Ducks on Thursday. The contract, reportedly worth $4 million, will likely be his last as a professional hockey player.

The "Finnish Flash" recorded an impressive 80 points season, including 31 goals, the third most in NHL history for a player over the age of 40. His 80 points were good for second on the Anaheim squad, behind only Rocket Richard winner Corey Perry.

The possibility of a return season looked dim in July which caused Selanne to push back the final decision date to just two days before the opening of the Ducks' training camp. Selanne had this to say about his knee surgery in July:

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"The whole month of July I was thinking it doesn't look very good. I couldn't do much after two or three weeks. It's amazing how fast you lose the muscles around your knee. There were a lot of days where I felt, 'I don't know if this is going to work anymore.'"

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However, as time went on Selanne began to regain muscle around his knee and took great strides in the last month of his rehabilitation.

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"I was very happy in the last month or so that I was skating with no pain, and that's a good sign," he said. "I'm very optimistic that it (knee) is going to last."

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Overall, the return of Selanne bodes will for the Anaheim Ducks as his speed, skill, and overall veteran presence could help carry them on a deep playoff run in 2011-12. Although no one expects the Flash to put up near the numbers he did last season, Selanne himself seems intent on surprising again this season.