Teemu Selanne’s #8 jersey will be lifted to the rafters at Hartwall Arena on 30 December 2015 prior to the Finland vs. Slovakia game of the 2016 IIHF World Junior Championship.

No player of the Finnish national teams may wear the legendary #8 after this. Selanne’s will be the third retired number in Finnish national team history, joining Raimo Helminen’s #14 and Jari Kurri’s #17.

“Teemu had a unique career and we want to honour his achievements both as a player on the ice and as a role model off the ice by retiring his national team jersey,” says Finnish Ice Hockey Association President Kalervo Kummola.

“As Teemu is the patron of the 2016 IIHF World Junior Championship, it is a great opportunity for us to hold the retirement ceremony during the tournament.”

For the first time Selanne represented the Finnish national team at an U16 Four Nations Tournament held in Fredrikshavn, Denmark in 1985. Selanne played his first game at the tournament against Denmark 28 December – almost exactly 30 years before his jersey retirement ceremony will take place.

During his national team career Selanne played altogether 193 national team games, represented Finland six times at the Olympics, played at five IIHF Ice Hockey World Championships and wore the national team jersey at three Canada/World Cup tournaments.

“Wearing the Finnish national team jersey means a lot to me and I have always done it with pride. It is a huge honour to have my jersey retired by the national team. Thanks to the amazing work the Finnish Ice Hockey Association has done and is doing, I have been able to experience many fantastic things that I am very thankful for. The national team has always been a happy place for me,” says Selanne.

Finland vs. Slovakia will be played at on Wednesday 30 December at 18:00 local time. The jersey retirement ceremony will be held prior to the game. A more detailed schedule will be announced at a later date.