Before playing in the NHL, Selänne played three seasons in the SM-liiga with Jokerit. He was drafted by the Winnipeg Jets with the 10th overall pick in the 1988 NHL Entry Draft. He played four seasons with the Jets. He was traded along with Marc Chouinard and a fourth-round draft pick on February 6, 1996 to the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim in exchange for first-round draft picks Chad Kilger and Oleg Tverdovsky, along with a third round selection at the 1996 NHL Entry Draft. He was partnered with Paul Kariya. They helped the Mighty Ducks reach their first playoff appearance in 1997. They defeated the Phoenix Coyotes in the first round, but were defeated by the Detroit Red Wings in the second round.