Ducks extend Bruce Boudreau’s contract on the day Saku Koivu retires

Before Ducks Coach Bruce Boudreau said one word about the contract extension he received Wednesday through the 2016-17 season, he took a moment to thank Saku Koivu.

“Tremendous career, great attribute to us … great human being … everything he did was well-deserved,” Boudreau said.

Veteran center Koivu, 39, announced his retirement Wednesday after not being offered a new deal at the end of last season by the Ducks and deciding he no longer felt “that desire, that motivation,” to continue his career.

During this summer, Koivu said his agent was contacted by a few NHL teams, but “that feeling” of wanting to play again “never came back.

“Even if [the Ducks] did offer me a contract, I don’t think I’d have come back.”

The former Montreal Canadiens captain, who beat cancer and won four Olympic medals playing for Finland, capped a 255-goal, 577-assist NHL career by playing his final five seasons with the Ducks. Because of an early season concussion — the first of his career — Koivu opted not to play in the Olympics to make a final run at the Stanley Cup that eluded him.

In his 18th season, he scored 11 goals with 18 assists for the Pacific Division champions, who were eliminated by the Stanley Cup champion Kings in a seven-game Western Conference semifinal series.

Koivu said he hasn’t laced up a pair of ice skates since the Game 7 loss at Honda Center, where he was the final player off the ice and was met by retiring Teemu Selanne, who told Koivu that he had a farewell season to anticipate.

Koivu responded to Selanne, “This might be it for both of us.”

Soon he was sure.

“For the first time last summer, when it had always been easy to go for a run to get ready for the season, I’m like, ‘Damn, it’s not easy,’” Koivu said.

The Ducks’ future is in Boudreau’s hands after he directed them to consecutive division titles. His extension comes before the final year of his prior deal, with the Ducks anticipating another contending season. Adding centers Ryan Kesler, from Vancouver, and Nate Thompson, from Tampa Bay, should help.

The Ducks recorded a team-record 116 points last season, but on the heels of stumbling in Game 7 of a first-round series against the Detroit Red Wings in 2013, they were routed at home in the decisive game against the Kings. Boudreau was hired as coach in November 2011.

“It means the Ducks’ organization has faith in me in leading this team, and that’s important going forward — that’s what’s really important to me,” Boudreau said. “We were close last year, and experience … plus the additions will make us better. We expect more for ourselves.”

Ducks General Manager Bob Murray, who received a four-year contract extension just after the Kings’ loss, said in a statement, “Bruce has done a very good job over the last several years, and deserves the opportunity to take this team deep into the playoffs. We’re happy to have this contract complete before training camp, so our complete focus can be on winning hockey games.”

Said Boudreau: “I don’t want to get overconfident … but if everybody stays healthy, we’re a pretty good hockey club. It’s a good group of men. They’re all excited.”

The Ducks also announced Wednesday that individual game tickets will go on sale Friday at 10 a.m.