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Curtis Zupke grew up in Los Angeles and got hooked on hockey (along with thousands of other Southern Californians) upon Wayne Gretzky’s arrival to the Kings in 1988.

He covered the Anaheim Ducks for the Orange County (Calif.) Register from 2006 to 2011.

His work has also appeared in The Hockey News, Associated Press and QMI Agency (a Quebec-based wire service that serves 250 daily and weekly newspapers in Canada).

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Selanne, 40, re-signs with Ducks Print
Pacific
Written by J.P. Hoornstra   
Monday, August 09, 2010 18:45
The Finnish (40-year-old) Flash is coming back for more.

The Ducks reached agreement with right wing Teemu Selanne, the NHL's active leader in goals scored, on a one-year, $3.25 million contract Monday.

In a 2009-10 season limited to 54 games by a pair of severe injuries, Selanne scored 27 goals to bring his career total to 606, which ranks 17th in NHL history. Only Bobby Ryan scored more goals for the Ducks last season, making Selanne a still valuable piece to Anaheim's offense.

He also did not say definitively that 2010-11 will be his last season in the league.

"Every year I think it might be my last year," he said via conference call from Finland. "That’s how I really get motivated to get better and better. It helps me to have the attitude of, 'This is it, and I’m going to leave everything there.' It’s worked pretty well for me, so I think I’ll be the same way this coming year."

Selanne actually earned a raise of $500,000 over last season, which appeared to be his last in the wake of two serious injuries.

On Dec. 3, 2009, he broke his hand in Dallas while blocking a shot. Selanne returned to play three games in January, but was again shelved when then-teammate Ryan Whitney's shot deflected off the stick of the Boston Bruins' Miroslav Satan and struck Selanne in the jaw, fracturing it in two places.

But Selanne finished the season strong, scoring nine goals in 17 games after leading Finland to a bronze medal at the Winter Olympics. He said his desire to return to the NHL only grew stronger in spite of his injuries.

"I don’t feel 40," he said, "but if this is what 40 feels like, it feels pretty good."

Selanne is Anaheim's all-time leader in goals (379), assists (412), points, power-play goals (147), power-play points (333), game-winning goals (65), plus/minus (plus-117) and games played (701). He won his only Stanley Cup with the Ducks in 2007 in his 15th NHL season.

The man who ranks second in many of those categories, free-agent left wing Paul Kariya, has been rumored to sign in Anaheim next season. Selanne did nothing to downplay the speculation of a possible reunion. Kariya spent the last three seasons with the St. Louis Blues.

"I’ve talked to Paul a couple times and I know he would be very excited to come back and play with us," Selanne said. "I’ve talked with [Ducks general manager] Bob [Murray] a little bit about it, too. That’s their call and I don’t know much more than that. Paul has done so much for Ducks hockey in the past, and I know he loves the area and he can still play at the highest level. Hopefully they can find something that makes both sides happy."

For his part, Murray wouldn't rule it out, either.

"I have asked Teemu about Paul," the GM said. "I asked some of my other veterans about a bunch of players out there who they may have played with or been around in the last little while. Paul is one of them and there have been a few others. Teemu obviously knows Paul very well, so that was a good source to go to. I don’t know if Paul has decided if he’s going to play again or not. It remains to be seen. We have to find the answer to that question first."

The Ducks have more than $10 million in salary-cap space according to capgeek.com and are still negotiating with Ryan, a restricted free agent.

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Last Updated on Monday, August 09, 2010 19:49