Chris Chelios is one of the greatest defensemen in NHL history, having left his mark on the league with his longevity, toughness and exceptional leadership. He began his career with the Montreal Canadiens in 1984, where he quickly gained attention for his physical play and intensity.
Traded to the Chicago Blackhawks, he enjoyed a prosperous period during which he won several Norris Trophies, awarded to the best defenseman in the league, and became an essential defensive pillar. He later joined the Detroit Red Wings, where he helped win two Stanley Cups and strengthen an already dominant team.
His career, which spanned 26 seasons, made him one of the NHL’s most enduring players, playing until the age of 48. Chelios left a lasting mark with his tireless style of play and iron will, earning him a place in the Hockey Hall of Fame.
A story about his early days in hockey has just resurfaced and explains how close he came to never having an NHL career. He got his chance because he lied to a coach who needed a defender when he had never played that position.
Chris Chelios tried out for his local college’s hockey team.
At the time, he was just a 5’10”, 155 pound center, competing against players three or four years older than him. The tryouts didn’t go well and he was cut.
“Looking back, I probably didn’t deserve to be on the team. My hockey career seemed over before it had even really started.” At the time, he described himself as a “beach delinquent teenager.” He had no job and no chance of continuing to play hockey.
One day on the beach he ran into Bobby Parker – another guy who had tried out for the same college team. Parker makes the team, but tells Chris he doesn’t feel like he belongs there and is going home. “He had decided to return to his hometown of Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan to play Tier II junior hockey.
He suggested I call his coach, Larry Billows, and ask for a tryout. Chelios hesitated at first. A year earlier, he tried out for two junior teams in Canada and was cut each time. But a few days later, Chris decided he was going to try his luck one last time. From a phone booth next to a lifeguard tower, he called the Canucks coach.
The conversation will change his life forever.
“What position do you play?” asks Billows.
“What positions do you need? » Chris responds.
“I need a defender,” he said.
“Good,” Chris lied, “because I play defense.” Until then, Chelios had never played a single minute of defense in his life. “I had nothing to lose. »
Billows offered him a tryout, and the rest is history. Chris Chelios became the oldest NHL defenseman of all time, winning 3 Stanley Cups and 3 Norris Trophies. His rise from redneck to Hall of Famer is one of the most improbable journeys in sports history.
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