NHL reinstates Anaheim Ducks owner Samueli

* Samueli ends 16-month suspension

* Owner had pleaded guilty in Broadcom stock options probe

NEW YORK, Nov 12 (Reuters) - The National Hockey League on Thursday reinstated Henry Samueli as owner of the Anaheim Ducks, ending a more than 16-month suspension over his role in stock options backdating at Broadcom Corp (BRCM.O).

Samueli, 55, had been suspended indefinitely in June 2008, when he pleaded guilty to falsely telling U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission investigators that he was not involved in backdating at Broadcom, the computer chip maker he co-founded.

The NHL also said Samueli's wife Susan may return to active status as the Ducks' co-owner. She had relinquished that status to "avoid any possible improper appearance," the league said.

Henry Samueli had accepted five years of probation and $12.25 million of penalties in a plea bargain, but a U.S. district court judge rejected the terms as too lenient.

The U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals in September refused to reinstate the plea bargain. Samueli on Nov. 6 asked that court to reconsider its ruling.

Stock options let holders buy shares in the future at fixed prices. Backdating involves retroactive grants on dates when a stock price was low, which can make the awards more valuable. Concealing the practice can inflate a company's earnings. Backdating at Broadcom led to a $2 billion restatement. (Reporting by Jonathan Stempel)