“When I lifted the Cup, it was heavier than I thought,” Anaheim Ducks forward Teemu Selanne said during Wednesday night’s champagne-soaked Stanley Cup celebration. “There were times I was wondering if I ever would win it… 15 years and 1,000-plus games, and no Cup. That’s why this is now so much more special. I’m so proud of my teammates, they’ve been like brothers to me.”

It takes some very heavy lifting to carry Lord Stanley’s cherished chalice, without question the most difficult trophy to win in professional sports. The campaign begins with training camp in September, followed shortly thereafter by the preseason. An 82-game schedule then ensues, the purpose of which separates 16 playoff teams from the 14 for whom the summer vacation will begin in early April.

It is at that point that the postseason begins, a war of attrition like no other in sports. Players hide injuries from opponents and the press … and sometimes even from their teammates and coaching staffs. The 16 victories required to capture the Cup become increasingly more difficult as the two-month tournament progresses.

All of this, of course, makes the Ducks’ accomplishment all the more impressive. Without question, they were the finest team participating in this year’s playoffs, a truly deserving champion. But in the end, the Ducks were defined by their dignified captain Scott Niedermayer, the Conn Smythe Trophy winner (playoff MVP) and by Finnish veteran Teemu Selanne. For Niedermayer, it was mission accomplished, as he got to celebrate the championship with brother Rob. And for Selanne, it was the first major team success of his Hall of Fame-caliber career, which began back in 1992–93 when he scored 76 goals for the Winnipeg Jets to win the Calder Trophy (rookie of the year).

For the season prior to the NHL lockout, Selanne signed on with the Colorado Avalanche, a starladen club with Cup aspirations. But the melding of superstars didn’t work out as well as expected, and the Avs were eliminated from the postseason in the second round. The game had appeared to pass Selanne by — he scored only 16 goals in 78 games — and it seemed a fait accompli that the end was near for the “Finnish Flash.”

Humbled by the failure in Denver, Selanne realized that signing with the Ducks — where he’d enjoyed great success in the past — was his last, best chance at revitalizing his career.

“He’s had such a great career, he’s done so many great things, but you know, the last two years he’s been such a huge part of this team,” said linemate Andy McDonald. “I mean, everyone obviously sees the contributions he makes on the ice, but he’s such a great teammate, he’s really supportive of the guys in this room. I know the guys are extremely happy for him to win. He really deserved to win the Stanley Cup.”

With the Ducks’ victory, Senators forward Daniel Alfredsson was prevented from becoming the first-ever European player to captain a team to a Cup win. Over the years, it’s been speculated that winning the Cup doesn’t hold the same meaning for European players as for those born in North America (and in particular, Canada), but to see the expression of unbridled joy on Selanne’s face after the win told a very different story.

“I cried for the last 2–3 minutes of the game,” Selanne said. “And then I realized this is it, I’ve won the Cup. I’ve been so close to winning an Olympic gold medal and World Championship. … I’m so happy I finally won something, the biggest trophy for a hockey player.”

Each member of the Cup-winning team gets 24 hours to spend with the trophy any way he chooses. Selanne will bring the chalice to Finland, where he will get to show the trophy to all of the people who helped him reach this tremendous milestone. When asked whether he would retire now that he’s won the Cup, Selanne deferred the decision.

“The last two years have been the best time of my life, and I think I played pretty much the best hockey in my career,” he said. “I’ve always said I’d try to keep playing for as long as I feel the same passion and motivation and dedication that I’ve had the last couple of years. But on the other hand, I’ve always dreamed about retiring on the top.”

What makes the decision particularly difficult is that he could still retire on top by returning to the Ducks for another season. With Niedermayer and Pronger anchoring their blue line, the biggest wild cards in their attempted Cup defense will be whether goaltender J-S Giguere and Selanne re-sign for 2007-08.

If both stars do in fact return, the Ducks will have a golden opportunity to become the first back-toback champions since the Red Wings in 1997 and 1998. And for Selanne, the temptation to pursue another Cup celebration with his adopted brethren might prove irresistible.

Mr. Greenstein is the editor in chief of InsideHockey.com.