Selanne was an instant sensation in Winnipeg

The chilliest big city in Canada was once home to NHL’s hottest scorer.

Teemu Selanne burned out many a red goal-light, but it was also the way he melted hearts that made him so beloved. Any frost bitten skin on the way to old Winnipeg Arena in the grip of winter was a small price to see Selanne and his 76-goal rookie record run, part of four years in the city and his first step to Monday’s Hockey Hall Of Fame induction.

By the time he departed in 1996, just as sad as the original Jets’ move to Phoenix soon after, Selanne must have shaken every hand in town. When he came home from practice or before leaving for a game, he was would sometimes invite himself to join road hockey games with the local kids, still wearing his dress suit.

“To be honest, that whole year was like a dream,” Selanne said of ’92-93. “I don’t think I had realized what I had done until a couple of years later.

“But the whole time, almost four years, were special and I think the reason is the fans. If you’re a hockey player, you play well, you treat people well, you’re like a king there. The passion that the people have for hockey there, it’s just amazing. It’s a cold city and the fans were waiting hours and hours below 30 (degrees) outside and waiting to get a chance to see their favourite player for at least two minutes. That’s why Winnipeg is so special.”

Wayne Gretzky, Mario Lemieux and Brett Hull each scored more than 76 in a season, Phil Esposito and Alex Mogilny reached that number, but no first-year player has put that many away since. Now they struggle to reach 40 or 50 in a no-fly NHL.

“Obviously, the whole city of Winnipeg and the fans were so excited,” Selanne said. “I didn’t read the papers (but) I felt the passion and the excitement. I didn’t really pay too much attention. I was just so hungry on the ice, I just wanted more and more and more.”

The Finnish Flash flashed a huge smile everywhere he went, even when going to the dirty areas when adding to his goal totals.

“One of the most dynamic players who has ever come into the game,” said Hockey Night In Canada play-by-play man Jim Hughson. “What I always think about is how much he absolutely loved to play, a fast player with real joie de vivre.”

When he came back for the first time against the‘ new’ Jets, fans blew the roof off the MT S Centre. One sign said: “Teemu, please come home.”