from Helene Elliott of the LA Times,

Sunday's ceremony also will honor the deep relationship he built with fans, especially here. Often when he was late for the bus or dinner, it was because he felt compelled to sign every piece of paper a fan thrust at him and pose with everyone who wanted a photo. He couldn't disappoint anyone. Fans knew how much he loved the game and loved him for it, some to the extremes of requesting his chewed-up chicken bones in a Winnipeg restaurant or tattooing his likeness on their bodies.

"He's a pretty special player and person. I've played with a lot of guys, not a lot who have the connection to the fans that he has," said Scott Niedermayer, his teammate on the Ducks' 2007 Cup championship team and now a Ducks assistant coach. "That's one of the great things about him, beyond the stats."

Selanne still lives in Orange County and envisions staying here indefinitely. "I call it my Happy Place," he said. "The Ducks organization has been so important for me. That relationship we have had is something really special. I'm very thankful I was able to play for a long time, and I had my best years here. The people, the fans, they have treated me so well here."

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