Teemu Selanne blasts Ducks Coach Bruce Boudreau in new book

Teemu Selanne confronted Ducks Coach Bruce Boudreau during the team’s playoff series against Dallas last spring to ask why Boudreau “was not appreciative of me one iota” and had humiliated him by making him a healthy scratch for the fourth game, according to a new biography of the hockey player that was to be released Thursday in Selanne’s native Finland.

“Teemu,” a 320-page collaboration between the prolific right wing and Finnish writer Ari Mennander that was written in Finnish, details Selanne’s life and outstanding international and NHL careers. It tells the story -- and provides pictures -- of Selanne’s life from his childhood through his Hall of Fame feats and his retirement after last season.

The Times obtained a PDF file of the book in Finnish and used Google Translate, in addition to getting clarification on some of those translations from another Finnish journalist, Juha Hiitela, to read it.

Selanne, who was scheduled to promote the book Thursday in Finland, saved his sharpest barbs for what he perceived as unfair treatment from Boudreau, saying the coach didn’t give him the power-play prominence or ice time Selanne believed he deserved in his later years.

Selanne said that after his strong performance for bronze medalist Finland at the Sochi Olympics he was promised increased playing time by Boudreau but that the coach didn’t keep those promises. Selanne said he got to play four games with first-line center Ryan Getzlaf and did well, but “after, all continued as before.”

Selanne said his patience wore out during the playoffs, when he learned he would be a healthy scratch for the first time in a decade. According to Selanne, he told Boudreau “that if you want to win some in the playoffs, you need me.” He said Boudreau stammered in responding that he made lineup decisions in consultation with General Manager Bob Murray and the team’s scouts. Selanne said he did not talk to Boudreau again after that and skipped the traditional end-of-season exit interview.

Hiitela said Selanne noted that he he has nothing personal against Boudreau, portraying their differences as hockey-related. Selanne had nine goals and 27 points in 64 regular-season games last season before producing two goals and six points in 12 playoff games.

Selanne also said that after the Ducks lost to the Kings in the second round of the playoffs, Kings Coach Darryl Sutter, who had coached Selanne in San Jose, told him the Kings were glad Selanne hadn’t played a greater role in that series because Selanne then might have turned the series in the Ducks’ favor.

The Ducks are scheduled to retire Selanne’s No. 8 jersey on Jan. 11 at the Honda Center.

The Ducks, like other NHL teams, are scheduled to open training camp Thursday. Players are to undergo physicals and testing on Thursday before on-ice practices begin on Friday.