Selanne Stays in Anaheim as Trial Starts in Finland

Mighty Duck star Teemu Selanne went on trial Monday in his native Finland, charged with reckless driving that caused a two-car accident last year.

Finnish authorities formally charged Selanne last November with endangering public safety. Although the maximum penalty is two years in prison, the “vast majority” of similar cases result in a fine, said Don Baizley, Selanne’s agent.

Selanne need not be present at trial. He remains in Anaheim, where his wife recently gave birth to the couple’s third child.

Selanne did not return a call for comment Monday. When the charges were filed, he said he accepted “full responsibility” for the accident but added that he had been advised a prison sentence was extremely unlikely.

“I will get a ticket. That’s all that is going to happen,” he said. “The lawyers are going to do their jobs and send me the bill.”

Selanne, an avid car collector and racing enthusiast, was reportedly driving 80-90 mph on a narrow gravel road when he collided with a car driven by Kalervo Kummola, president of the Finnish Ice Hockey Federation. Selanne was unhurt, but Kummola suffered a broken leg.

Selanne has said the accident happened on a private road, rented and closed to traffic, while he was practicing for a road rally. He has competed in several rallies in Finland.

Selanne was recently selected, for the fifth consecutive season, as one of three finalists for the NHL’s Lady Byng Award, presented to the player who best combines sportsmanship with excellence.