Another tremendous Finnish player has decided to hang up his skates for good. People have known that this past season would be the last for Finnish legend and icon Teemu Selanne after his announcement via YouTube. However, the Ducks had another grizzly Scandinavian veteran on their roster in Saku Koivu.
Koivu is well known for his perseverance. In September of 2001, Koivu was diagnosed with Burkitt’s Lymphoma, a form of cancer. With the nature of the chemotherapy involved with treating the cancer, it was expected that Koivu would miss the entirety of the 2001-2002 season. However, he remarkably returned for the final three games, and the Canadiens clinched a playoff berth.
The eighth seed Canadiens then upset the top seeded Boston Bruins in six games and pushed the eventual Eastern Conference Champion Carolina Hurricanes to six games as well. In those twelve games, Koivu was tied for the team lead in scoring with Doug Gilmour and Donald Audette. Koivu’s successful bout with cancer is a resounding story that won him the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy in 2002. He also raised $8 million to fund an early detection cancer machine.
Koivu joined the Ducks after the 2008-2009 season after spending 14 seasons (though one was negated by the 2004-2005 lockout) with the Montreal Canadiens, including 10 as the captain. He scored 64 goals and 191 points with the Ducks over five seasons and served as an alternate captain in each of those five seasons. Koivu played an important role as a leader and was one of the Ducks’ key two-way players during his tenure in Anaheim.
He also played for Team Finland at the Olympics four times in his career, medaling in each tournament (bronze in 1994, 1998, and 2010 and silver in 2006). He missed the 2002 Olympics because of his battle with cancer and withdrew from the 2014 Olympics in order to focus on making one last push to win a Stanley Cup with the Ducks.
Koivu has been a model of class, excellence, and perseverance during his 18 seasons in the NHL. It may be cliche to say that Koivu is a better person than he was a player, but the fact that the statement is true is a testament to his character. I wish him the best in retirement, and I know that despite him never winning the ultimate prize in hockey, he has won the ultimate prize in life: livelihood.
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