Too Old To Play?

The biggest question on every Ducks fans mind is whether or not Teemu Selanne will return.  There is certainly no question on whether he can handle the NHL at the age of 40, scoring 31 goals with 49 assists. He also notched 6 goals and 1 assist in six playoff games this season. So, will he come back?

We have seen tons of players who can handle the game even though they are hitting old age. For example:

-Dwayne Roloson, 41, is currently backstopping the Bolts to a possible Stanley Cup Champion, and he has looked phenomenal

-Mark Recchi, 43, had 14 goals and 34 assists in the regular season, providing the Bruins with depth on the offense. He also has 2 goals and 5 assists in 11 games in the post-season.

-Look at the Detroit Red Wings, 1/3 of their team is eligible to start moving into Shady Acres retirement home, but continuously power through their opposition and are looking to make another Stanley Cup run. How many times have you heard “the Red Wings are old, they’re too old to make it to anywhere”, and how many times have they been wrong?

After a stellar season from Selanne, he knows he still has it and can provide top goal scoring for the Ducks. Had the Ducks managed to make it past the Predators and possibly even a Stanley Cup Finals, Selanne would have been able to go out being satisfied with the end of the season, but that wasn’t the case.

Selanne has stated the hardest part is the constant need to stay in perfect shape and continue with dieting, hydration and getting adequate rest. Selanne spoke with ESPN about the issue:

“When you get older, you have to do everything perfectly,” Selanne said. “The biggest difference is recovery time. Off the ice, you have to get enough rest, and have fluids and the right food. You have to be smart all the way, especially in the summertime. You have to work so hard and pretty much live for hockey, so that’s why it’s a big decision if I’m ready to push myself again”.

The younger guys may be able to handle this constant travel and if they lose some sleep, they can deal with it. Selanne is only getting older.

One of the worlds greatest Mixed Martial Artist, Randy Couture, recently decided to hang up the gloves after 14 years of professional fighting.  At the age of 47, he was in fantastic shape but he stated that the training and intense dieting were too much for a guy his age.

The only thing we can do is wait until July 1st when Selanne makes his decision. I am sure we all want to see another year of the Finnish Flash.