Sel8nne Page #4

---

and Division One.

Why this decision?

I thought the

league is too tough right now -

since I willl

start doing military service in June -

at the Defence Forces Sports School.

Jokerit played in division one

and the team was almost bankrupt.

HIFK also wanted us.

But Jokerit had a coach

named Leo iks.

I don't know what he was doing,

perhaps it had something to do with money -

But he got Teemu

to stay in Jokerit.

We were four 18 year-old players -

who decided to stay another year.

Keijo Silynoja, Waltteri lmmonen

and Mika Strmberg.

I should have known

that now I have to do a good bid.

But I did not.

A big mistake.

It was a tough year.

I played about 120 matches.

I played for Jokerit and also their junior team,

the national junior team -

and the army team.

The fifth games in Division One's

promotion series were played today.

Jokerit led 3 to 1

after the first period.

Match result was 5 to 2.

It was 19. October 1989.

It felt as if my whole life had just stopped.

Jokerit against JYP in overtime.

I remember the time.

It was 60:
56.

A guy tried to hit me

and I tried to get away.

My foot got stuck

between his legs and he fell.

You could see from the leg

that this was something serious.

We thought his career was over.

I tried to get up -

but I realized that my foot was hanging like this.

Both bones had been broken.

It was only

tendons and skin that held it together.

I cried

and so did Teemu.

I woke up many times during the night

-

and wished that it was a nightmare.

I missed a whole year.

I had a long plaster

for three months.

I remember when

plaster was removed.

I didn't know if I should

laugh or cry.

The leg was just skin and bones.

I thought that everything is over.

I trained one month just to

learn to walk again.

Afterwards I told

that he needed it.

It was a good thing.

I no longer took for granted

that I was healthy -

and that my body worked.

Ever since I was little -

we've said evening prayers

before bedtime.

I believe in God

and a higher power.

Teemu took to prayer.

When he said his prayers -

he mentioned all the friends

that God should protect.

It was not enough that

he prayed for his cousins.

I remember what he said -

"Dear God, let Leonid Brezhnev and Jimmy Carter

-

become really good friends."

15000 euro for both organizations.

I want to thank you all.

Our family will come to Finland

in mid-June.

I have three things I must do:

Children's Hospitals' golf tournament -

my Finnish Flash Golf Tournament

and a hockey camp in Vuokatti.

Markus Ketterer, Waltteri lmmonen,

Keijo Silynoja and I -

started a hockey camp -

so we wouldn't need to

go to other people's camps.

We decided to

make it a charity thing.

This year is our 18th anniversary.

Our reward is

that we see young people having fun.

Hello?

Our reward is

when we hear the nurses tell -

how patients cope

many days without painkillers.

The boys get so excited.

At home I hug

my kids a little extra.

I have been very lucky.

These passes are dangerous.

Teemu Selanne on a breakaway.

A perfect ending.

I remember when I had the broken leg....

I flew in America to see

three playoff games.

I remember how I watched those guys.

The hatred between the teams

was totally sick.

The teams played ugly and hard.

I remember when I got home.

I felt a surge of motivation.

I didn't know

if I could play in the NHL -

but I decided

to work hard.

I also practiced boxing.

Jokerit was near bankruptcy.

A friend and I bought the team.

Hjallis and I got Teemu

to stay in Finland for another year.

Teemu was riding in my car once.

I thought:

"Damn, I'm not letting him out -

until we have a contract."

Jokerit players throw

their sticks and gloves up.

We were far superior.

Jokerit are Finnish champions

of the 1991-92 season.

Jokerit's last championship was in 1973.

What did you do then?

- Shoveled sh*t in a sandbox.

But you won't in any case play

in Finland next season.

Probably not.

It was as inserting

money in the bank -

When he played in Jokerit

for another year.

When I think of

my time with Jokerit -

it makes me warm inside.

Deep inside he is a Jokeri.

If you ask me,

, he has always been -

one of the most important figures

in Jokerit.

In the NHL there is a rule

that if you don't have a contract -

within three years

after being drafted -

you'll become a free agent.

It happened to me.

Don and I flew to San Jose.

The team was very interested.

While we were there we got a

phone call from the Calgary Flames.

We decided to fly to Calgary.

In the end, we signed a

contract with Calgary.

Winnipeg matched their offer,

so I started my career there.

He has been a good investment -

Both on and off the ice.

We are like racehorses.

As long as we run good -

they take care of us.

When we can't manage to run anymore -

they make sausages out of us.

People thought it was a shame

when the team left town.

There is nothing more

than hockey in Winnipeg.

Three of us had the same salary:

Alexei Zjamnov,

Keith Tkachuk and me.

The team had

to sell one of us.

The PR manager gave me a phone -

and said that the owner

wanted to talk to me.

The owner called me and said, -

there's lots of rumors but that

I definitely was not for sale.

10 days later

we trained in our home rink -

when I was asked to leave to

answer a phone call.

The General manager

said that he had had a tough day -

and that he had sold me.

After a minute's silence

I asked where I'm going.

"To Anaheim."

Again there was a moment of silence

and after that I said "Thank you."

Sirpa was nearly nine months pregnant.

A few weeks earlier

Sirpa had asked me -

if I would take her to Disneyland.

I promised I

would do it one day.

Then I drove home.

Sirpa immediately noticed that

something was wrong.

She asked what had happened.

I said that now she can go

to Disneyland every day -

if she so desires.

I said we have been

sold to Anaheim.

I went there the

very next day.

I had conflicting emotions.

I knew it would be fun to play in Anaheim.

I knew I would

get to play with Paul Kariya.

I remember the first morning

in Anaheim after I was sold.

It was probably 26 degrees Celsius.

I walked out from the hotel

to get breakfast.

It was truly a paradise.

Two weeks later, I flew back

to Winnipeg for Eemil's birth.

We had decided

to trigger the birth.

Everything was arranged around

my schedule.

It was a bit funny

but I wanted to be there.

I was quite nervous.

Three o'clock Teemu phoned

and said they had a boy.

I remember the incredible feeling -

when I got to hold my own child.

I took out my buddies

to celebrate the birth.

We were out a little later

than we had planned.

I flew to Anaheim in the morning.

In the evening I had a game.

I was completely exhausted.

After warming up

I wanted almost skip the match.

But I had skipped a match

already, so I did not complain.

I started playing -

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes