A week later, Selanne’s ready to play

PHILADELPHIA -- Teemu Selanne’s brief training camp is over. Now it’s up to Coach Randy Carlyle to let him suit up.

One week after he announced his intention to return to the Ducks, Selanne pronounced himself available for tonight’s game against the New York Islanders following an early practice session Monday at Wachovia Center.

“You’ve got to ask the coach,” Selanne said. “I’m ready to go. It’s totally in his court. . . . I’m excited. Very excited.”

The decision to put Selanne in the lineup for the first time since Game 5 of the Stanley Cup finals ultimately rests with Carlyle, but it’s clear that the punchless Ducks -- who have scored only five goals in their six-game losing streak -- would take the presence of a prolific scorer with 540 career goals.

Defenseman Sean O’Donnell said they could get a mental lift from Selanne’s presence on the ice.

“There’s no bigger one than this guy,” O’Donnell said. “The fact that he knows the guys and knows the system and knows the way we play should be a huge boost for us.

“Now it’s just a matter in these last 26 games of making sure we buckle down and try to make a run here and position ourselves well for the playoffs.”

In addition to the regular practice sessions, Selanne has put in extra time working with assistant coach Newell Brown to speed up his return.

Having had experience in bringing Scott Niedermayer up to speed following the defenseman’s return in December, Carlyle said it was important not to expect Selanne to be at peak form to start.

“It’s always a challenge for any player to come back into your life after an extended absence,” Carlyle said. “We think he’s a special player in the respect that he can offer some dynamics with his speed and his offensive abilities. But as I’ve stated before, it’s totally unfair to put that type of pressure on him in his first game.

“Yeah, in the big scheme, we expect him to provide offense. All we’re looking is for him to be a safe player. [Just] be Teemu Selanne. Don’t be anything else.”

Selanne’s first game this season could come at the same place he played his first game as a Duck.

Recalling the details nearly 12 years ago following his trade from the Winnipeg Jets, Selanne scored on a breakaway set up by Steve Rucchin in a 4-3 loss to the Islanders at Nassau Coliseum.

“There was no morning skate,” he said. “1 o’clock [game]. Second period. Rucchin. Five-hole.”

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Defenseman Chris Pronger joined Ryan Getzlaf, Mathieu Schneider and several other players who have had flu-like symptoms as he sat out practice.

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General Manager Brian Burke on why he didn’t suit up along with the coaches in a light-hearted game Sunday with the players: “Not a chance. They’d run me if they got the chance.”

TONIGHT

at N.Y. Islanders, 4 PST, FSN Prime Ticket

Site -- Nassau Coliseum.

Radio -- 830.

Records -- Ducks 27-22-7, Islanders 24-23-6.

Record vs. Islanders (2006-07) -- 0-0-1.

Update -- Schneider (sprained wrist) is questionable for tonight and center Samuel Pahlsson (abdominal strain) is improving but not ready to play. Like the Ducks, the Islanders are also struggling on offense, scoring only five goals in their current four-game losing streak.

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eric.stephens@latimes.com