Sharks Get Selanne

NHL teams

"I have spent all my years in the NHL with teams where the biggest goal is to make the playoffs first," Selanne said. "This is a different situation. Now I'm with a team that is winning and that can go a long way in the playoffs."

Selanne, who has scored more than 100 points twice in his career, will be a major boost for the Sharks' offense, which has suffered in the absence of injured center Vincent Damphousse.

"Selanne is an elite player who is one of the top offensive threats in the game and a major weapon on the power play," Sharks general manager Dean Lombardi said. "His needs should address several major needs for our club. This is a big step for our organization."

The trade represents a big change of heart for the Ducks, who resisted for years the urge to break up the tandem of Selanne and Paul Kariya. Three months ago Ducks general manager Pierre Gauthier said Selanne would not be dealt.

"Obviously as the season evolved a lot of things changed," Gauthier admitted on Monday. "We had to make the coaching change and this trade as well. It got to the point where I got a lot of calls regarding Teemu and I had to listen."

The 30-year-old Selanne has 372 goals and 416 assists for 788 points in 625 career NHL games.