Teemu Selanne nominated for Masterton Trophy
This article was originally on a blog post platform and may be missing photos, graphics or links. See About archive blog posts.
The Anaheim chapter of the Professional Hockey Writers’ Assn. has nominated Ducks right wing Teemu Selanne for the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy.
The Masterton Trophy is presented annually to the NHL player who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey. The winner will be selected at the end of the regular season by the 30 chapters of the PHWA.
“Teemu’s dedication to the game and efforts both on and off the ice make him a top candidate for the Bill Masterton Trophy,” Ducks Executive Vice President and General Manager Bob Murray said in a statement released by the club. “Congratulations to Teemu for this well-deserved nomination.”
Selanne, 39, has been limited by injuries to 53 games this season. He has 26 goals and 47 points with a plus-3 rating and 16 penalty minutes. On March 21 he became the 18th player in NHL history to score 600 goals and surpassed childhood idol Jari Kurri for possession of 17th on the all-time goals list with his 602nd and 603rd goals on April 2.
Selanne became one of only three Europeans to score 600 goals and one of only seven right wingers to accomplish the feat. His two power-play goals on April 2 were the 217th and 218th of his career, moving him past Mike Gartner to rank ninth in career power-play goals. A recipient of the 2006 Masterton Trophy, Selanne has rebounded from several injuries this season, including fractures of his hand (15 games) and jaw (eight games).
In 1,185 career NHL games, Selanne has scored 605 goals and 1,259 points, ranking 35th in points, 56th in assists and ninth in power-play goals (219).
With 378 goals and 790 points in 697 games in an Anaheim uniform (1996-2001 and 2005-10), Selanne is the Ducks’ franchise leader in goals, assists, points, power-play goals (146), power-play points (332), game-winning goals (65), plus/minus (plus-117) and games played. He won his first Stanley Cup with Anaheim in 2007 in his 14th NHL season. He has won three Olympic medals (bronze in 1998, silver in 2006 and bronze in 2010) and is the all-time Olympic men’s hockey scorer with 20 goals and 37 points in 31 career games.
Selanne is an active member of the Ducks’ community-relations efforts. In addition to visiting Children’s Hospital of Orange County on numerous occasions each season he is involved with a variety of Southern California charities.
Earlier this week, the Los Angeles chapter of the PHWA selected Brad Richardson as its Masterton nominee.
-- Helene Elliott