According to Dave Dye at FoxSportsDetroit.com, 48 year old defenseman Chris Chelios is finally hanging up his skates after lacing them up for 26 seasons in the NHL. In the end, less than half of those seasons were played wearing the Winged Wheel and the Hall of Fame, where he’ll eventually end up, doesn’t make a player choose a team affiliation with which to be inducted, but Chris Chelios is a Detroit Red Wing. [Ryan Lambert Is a Tool-y Update – Yes, Chelios played 35% of his games in Detroit, but his family still lives there, he has business interests there, and he was talking about coming back and working for the organization even before his days as a Red Wings defenseman were over. Trying to explain this to Ryan Lambert is like trying to teach an elephant to drop crap the size of rabbit pellets, it’s just too big an asshole]
In keeping with the spirit of the organization, Ken Holland has again taken the opportunity to fill the Red Wings‘ office with quality guys, announcing that he’s hiring Chelios on in an unspecified role but with a focus on player development and as an ambassador. I have no doubt that Chelios’ work ethic, experience, intelligence, and wit will be a great addition to the Wings office.
He may not have the players riding stationary bikes in the sauna, but it’ll be hard for any player on that roster to look at himself in the mirror if he can’t match the intensity of a 48 year old man who would love nothing more than to switch places for another shot at the ice. Welcome home, Chris, damn glad to have you back.
