Teemu Selänne

Finnish ice hockey right winger who holds the NHL rookie goal record and is considered one of the greatest European players in NHL history.

Teemu Selänne was born in Helsinki, Finland in 1970. Winnipeg Jets selected him tenth overall in the 1988 NHL Draft and he joined the NHL at age 22 in 1992. His rookie season produced 76 goals — the NHL record for goals by a rookie — and 132 points, both records that still stand. His career produced 684 goals and 773 assists for 1,457 points — the most by a Finnish player in NHL history. He won the Stanley Cup with the Anaheim Ducks in 2007. He won the Calder Trophy as best rookie in 1993. He played until he was 43 — retiring in 2014 after a final season with Anaheim. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2017 and named one of the 100 Greatest NHL Players. He won multiple Olympic medals with Finland, including silver in 1998. His combination of speed — his nickname the Finnish Flash was entirely accurate — with scoring touch and longevity represent one of the most complete individual careers in hockey history. He is the most celebrated Finnish athlete in any sport.

Selänne was known for his exceptional speed and lightning-quick release that made him virtually unstoppable on breakaways. He possessed outstanding acceleration and could beat defenders with pure pace, often celebrating goals with his signature bow-and-arrow celebration. His wrist shot was deadly accurate and he had remarkable ability to find scoring positions in traffic.

Selänne revolutionized the perception of European players in the NHL and paved the way for future Finnish stars. He remains the highest-scoring Finnish player in NHL history and his rookie goal record has endured for over three decades.

• Stanley Cup (2007)
• Calder Trophy (1993)
• Hall of Fame (2017)
• NHL 100 Greatest Players
• Olympic Gold Medal (1995 WC)

Team Career

Team	Period	GP	Goals
Winnipeg Jets	1992–1996	231	132
Anaheim Ducks	1996–2001	373	165
Jokerit	1989–1992	58	69
San Jose Sharks	2001–2003	82	29
Colorado Avalanche	2003–2004	78	32
Finland	—	200	43