Chris Chelios gave his generation of fans the stories and nostalgia they sought while simultaneously making new fans out of the younger generations during a heartfelt, big-budget Blackhawks jersey retirement ceremony Sunday at the United Center.
On Sunday morning, while making his daily visit to his favorite place — the sauna — Chelios said he ran into the nephews of former Bears great Dick Butkus. Hours later, Chelios joined Butkus as the two Chicago natives to have their numbers retired by Chicago teams.
“It’s one thing to have your jersey retired; it’s another to do it in your hometown,” said Chelios, who was born in Evergreen Park and attended Mount Carmel. “I’m not going to say it was a dream come true, because it was never a dream. I wanted to make the NHL as soon as I knew I had a chance, but it’s crazy.
“For my family [and] everyone in Chicago — kids I played with, coaches I had — I’m a piece of them. I know in some way that they’re proud of me, and I’m grateful for that.”
With his 90-year-old mother, Sue, and his four kids — including current Hawks broadcaster Caley Chelios, somehow still standing two days past her pregnancy due date — and former Hawks teammates including Jeremy Roenick and Ed Belfour in attendance, as well as a star-studded collection of friends ranging from Wayne Gretzky to Dennis Rodman to Eddie Vedder, Chelios blew well past his allotted speaking time to no one’s surprise and everyone’s enjoyment.
Chelios’ career was eventful, to say the least. His nine years on the Hawks (from 1990 to 1999) represented just one portion of his legendary 26-year run that included one Stanley Cup championship with the Canadiens, two Cups with the Wings, three Norris Trophies and seven All-Star selections.
But his life was arguably even more eventful, and Sunday offered plenty of time to laugh and reminisce on the mythical off-ice stories created by a magnetic draw to all things fun. He quipped he was a “better party planner” than hockey player.
Former Hawks broadcaster Pat Foley emceed the event and introduced Chelios as the greatest American-born NHL player of all time. Not too long later, Chelios turned to the benches — where the entirety of both the Hawks’ and Wings’ rosters sat watching — and described Patrick Kane the same way.
It’s a tough argument to settle, but there’s one way to do it: the two greatest American-born NHL players were both at the United Center on Sunday.
Kane, returning for the first time as an opponent, had earlier Sunday jokingly thanked Chelios for taking the spotlight and pressure off him. Chelios, meanwhile, jokingly thanked Kane for “taking the heat off” him by popularizing the Hawks-to-Wings pipeline.
The universal love Chelios received Sunday marked a stark contrast from the hatred that simmered during the years immediately following his trade to Detroit in 1999.
“When I got to Detroit, they already hated me...and then Chicago absolutely hated me for going to Detroit,” he said. “In all seriousness, I was thinking, ‘I can’t move back to Chicago. I can’t go to Detroit. Where the heck am I gonna live?’”
Everything has been forgiven now, though, and Chelios’ No. 7 banner — the ninth raised by the Hawks and the second in as many seasons (after Marian Hossa last season) — will hang from the rafters for good.
But it might not be the only No. 7 up there eventually. Brent Seabrook, who was in attendance Sunday, will be eligible for jersey retirement in 2027 based on the Hawks’ new set-in-stone standards, and Chelios said he would welcome a Seabrook banner joining his.
“No one wore that jersey better, [considering] the success he had,” Chelios said. “I’d be more than happy to share another No. 7 up there next to mine. It actually would be really cool.”
