ANAHEIM – Teemu Selanne wanted to do something nice for Sami Vatanen. His fellow Finn, 21 years his junior, had just arrived in Anaheim and was hoping to stick with the Ducks. The way Selanne saw it, if Vatanen was going to make it in southern California, he needed to have his own wheels. So the future Hall of Famer, an avid car collector, decided to lend Vatanen, a smooth-skating defenceman, one of his. A Mercedes CLK to be precise. "I havent seen it in a year-and-a-half," Selanne said with a chuckle. "I dont know if I like that car actually," Vatanen said with a big smile, "but its free." Selanne and Saku Koivu, another Finnish veteran, have mentored Vatanen, Anaheims fourth round pick in 2009, over the last couple of years. Koivu and his wife Hanna, for example, helped Vatanen get his apartment set up. "You can tell that both of them have taken Sami under their wing," said Ducks defenceman Ben Lovejoy. "Hes not even their little brother, hes sort of their son." Told of that statement, the 43-year-old Selanne doesnt miss a beat noting, "He could be." The groundwork laid by Selanne and Koivu paid dividends in the regular season as Vatanen was the third leading scorer among Ducks defencemen picking up 21 points in just 48 games. "Its a big thing," said Vatanen. "Ive been watching those guys for a while. It was fun to get a chance to play with them and its more fun even in the playoffs." Vatanen played in just nine of Anaheims final 32 regular-season games and started the playoffs in the minors with Norfolk in the American Hockey League. He was recalled in time for Game 3 of the series with the Los Angeles Kings making an immediate impact. Ducks head coach Bruce Boudreau even went so far as to label the youngster the best player on the ice on either team on Thursday night. Vatanen didnt slow down in his second career NHL playoff game on Saturday night, picking up his first post-season point, an assist on Ryan Getzlafs power play goal. He was also on the ice for Devante Smith-Pellys goal earlier in the period. "Just some confidence on the back end," said Lovejoy when asked what Vatanen brings to the table. "Getting offence against the Kings is difficult and having another smart puck mover back there is only going to put our forwards in better position to create offence." It is the 5-foot-10, 183-pound Vatanens gutsy play, which impresses Selanne the most. "Hes a warrior out there," said Selanne. "Hes not the biggest guy out there, but he doesnt avoid the traffic. Hes putting himself in a situation where hes going to get hit and give hits. Its fun to watch when young guys and small guys can do that. And obviously the way he can see the game and pass. He can make a huge difference." Selanne is nearing the end of his decorated career and takes great pride in being able to help an up-and-coming Finnish player find his way. After all, it was Teppo Numminen who helped a young Selanne navigate some early-career growing pains in Winnipeg. "I remember how much he helped me and thats why I want to do my job as well. And its fun and you see how much they appreciate it and how life is easier when you have help here and there," Selanne said. "Thats what we have done for years. Its so much easier for a young guy when theres a countryman who wants to help and makes things easier and gets you settled down. Thats a very important part of our job." In a way, Selannes career has come full circle as he passes the torch to the next rising Finnish star on the Ducks. So, did Numminen lend Selanne a car back in the day? "Actually, I let him drive my car," Selanne said with a grin. Some things never change. Miles Wood Jersey . - Titans quarterback Jake Locker will miss the rest of the season with a Lisfranc injury to his right foot, leaving Tennessee trying to rally with Ryan Fitzpatrick. Scott Stevens Jersey . Two weeks after suffering a concussion, Foles will start in place of Michael Vick, who is out for the second time this season with a hamstring injury. http://www.authenticdevilspro.com/ . Hamilton signed offensive linemen Mike Filer, Joel Reinders, Landon Rice and Carson Rockhill. Pavel Zacha Jersey .com) - Novak Djokovic captured a mens Open Era-record fifth Australian Open title on Sunday by defeating rival Andy Murray in the final in Melbourne. Nico Hischier Jersey . Scheffler told The Associated Press on Wednesday he made the choice because he had three concussions over the past four years.WINDSOR JUNCTION, N.S. - In many ways, the Nova Scotia Open is just another Web.Com Tour event, another chance to move up the money list and get closer to a PGA Tour card for next year. But for the 20 Canadians in the field, it is a rare home game with some tangible benefits. "Its great," said Roger Sloan, who plays out of the Tobiano Golf Club in Kamloops, B.C. "I stopped at Tim Hortons before my round." Perhaps it was the power of that morning double-double that pushed Sloan to a score of four-under 67, the lowest among the Canadians who teed off in the morning wave. "I got off to a really good start," said Sloan. "Birdied my first hole and had a couple of really good birdie opportunities in my first few holes. It was just a solid ball-striking day." Sloan had it to four under through his first nine with birdies on the third, fifth and ninth holes. He pushed that to five under with another one at the 12th before giving that back at the 17th. The New Course at Ashburn isnt long by Web.Com Tour standards but the greens here are providing a suitable defence. The putting surfaces have strong (a polite word) slopes that make getting the ball close on approaches tough and the putting even more difficult. "The greens are tricky," Sloan stated, "so you really have to be in control of the ball to get it close." By the time 36 holes are in the bag, "tricky" might be a nice description for how the players view these greens. They will most certainly be the deciding factor in who wins. Sloan, of course, is hoping that will be him. Hes in his second season on the Triple-A circuit and has been playing some more consistent golf this season, making the cut in seven of 12 starts. However, hes only missed once in his last seven events, showing steady improvement. A year ago, he was anything but consistent, making just five cuts in 19 starts. However there was a slight off-course distraction as he got married. This year, however, his goal was to avoid the highs and lows, and even out his play. "Ive been playing solid all year,&quoot; he stated, "putting together some solid rounds of golf.dddddddddddd Thats what I really wanted to do this year. You never know when those really good rounds are going to come. You just have to keep plugging away and stay focused on one shot at a time." Talking to Sloan its easy to see hes mature and keeps a good perspective on life, something that isnt always found in younger players. He sees the world beyond golf and is obviously well-grounded. He is in the middle of a seven-week run of tournaments but doesnt seem frustrated or burned out or home-sick, despite the fact his wife rarely is able to join him on Tour. He understands his job and the career hes chosen. He prepared himself for this lengthy road trip and is focused on his game. "Theres no job security out here as you might have on the PGA Tour where I can take next week off," Sloan stated. "You have a lot of guys playing really well, lot of great players, too. Theres pressure to play well but at the same time, if youre out here, you have the ability so trust yourself." Unlike a number of the other Canadians such as Adam Hadwin or MacKenzie Hughes, Sloan is playing without much in the way of outside financial backing. He has no major sponsors and wasnt a beneficiary of Golf Canadas Young Pro program when it was announced earlier this year. In fact, hes never really been on the Golf Canada radar, when he was an amateur or now. Its somewhat hard to believe -- actually its shocking -- that with his talent and personality, a company wouldnt embrace him and get behind him. Still, the ever-optimistic Sloan doesnt see that as a problem, but rather a fact that will change only by his doing. "Ive been blessed to play this game professionally on my own accord," he stated. "Its taught me a lot of good values. Its been tough, Ive had to make a lot of sacrifices, my wife and I, in order to make that work. Its tough but at the same time I have to keep focused on playing well and ultimately achieving my goal of winning on the PGA Tour and the money kind of takes care of itself." ' ' '
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