Teemu Selanne closes door on return: 'My career is over, that much is certain'

"The Finnish Flash" has officially extinguished his professional hockey career.

While Teemu Selanne had already closed the door on a return to the NHL, he hadn't officially ruled out suiting up for the KHL club Jokerit in his native Finland. 

That final declaration, however, came earlier this week, as confirmed by the IIHF.

“My career is over, that much is certain," the 44-year-old told Finnish MTV. "It’s been nice to lead a life without any schedules, and there’s no place for (playing) hockey in that."

Selanne burst onto the North American hockey scene with 76 goals in 84 games as a rookie with the Winnipeg Jets in 1992-93. He went on to record 684 goals and 773 assists in 1,451 career games with the Jets, Anaheim Ducks, San Jose Sharks and Colorado Avalanche.

He ends his career having won a Stanley Cup with the Ducks in 2007, and with his name on the Calder (1993), Maurice Richard (1999) and Bill Masterton (2006) trophies. 

In addition, Selanne won the Finnish title with Jokerit in 1992, one Olympic silver (2006) and three bronze medals (1998, 2010, 2014), one World Championship silver and one bronze, and represented Finland at six Winter Olympics, tying the record set by Raimo Helminen. 

Selanne will most certainly be named to the Hockey Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility in 2017.