DETROIT _ After nearly two decades with a team he once viewed as a fierce rival, Chris Chelios is leaving the Detroit Red Wings to be closer to his mom.
Originally acquired via trade on March 23, 1999, Chelios, then 37 years old, helped the Wings win the Stanley Cup in 2002 and again in 2008. After finishing his career in the Atlanta Thrashers organization, Chelios retired from playing in 2010, at the age of 48. He joined the Wings front office as an advisor, helping out with defense prospects in Grand Rapids and later helping out during Wings practices.
Chelios released a statement via the Wings explaining his decision to return home: "For me, this is an opportunity to move back to Chicago to be closer to family, and in particular my mother. I began to seriously consider moving home last February after the passing of my father. Now that my children have all graduated, it seems like the ideal time for my wife, Tracee, and I to make the move."
His arrival in 1999 raised eyebrows. Chelios became a full-time member of the Montreal Canadiens in 1984 (they'd drafted him 40th overall in 1981). He was a co-captain when he was traded to the Chicago Blackhawks in the summer of 1990. Six years later, he won his second Norris Trophy. He captained the Blackhawks from 1995-99.
At the time, Chicago and Detroit were Central Division rivals. The Wings needed a high-quality defenseman to ameliorate the loss of defenseman Vladimir Konstantinov, whose career ended in 1997 in a limousine crash a week after the Wings had won their first Stanley Cup in 42 years. Their first attempt to fill the void was Uwe Krupp, who ended up being hampered by a back injury. That prompted the trade for Chelios, who bristled.
"I've thoroughly enjoyed being a part of the Red Wings organization over the last 19 years," Chelios said in his statement. "Admittedly, I was skeptical about the 1999 trade that brought me to Detroit. As a Chicago guy who was playing for the Blackhawks at the time, we despised those Detroit teams of the 1990s. After the trade, however, things changed quickly and I began to feel right at home. What an unbelievable experience, playing on some of the greatest teams in league history, with some of the greatest players of all time. I consider myself extremely lucky to have been a part of it all. The Cup-winning teams in 2002 and 2008 are the obvious highlights, but I'm grateful for every chance I had to put on a Red Wings sweater.
"To the fans in Detroit _ I want to say thank you. You embraced me from day one. My experience in Detroit was a lot of fun and we definitely had some unforgettable times together. Just know that I won't be a stranger. I plan on visiting the area whenever I can, especially now that my son, Jake, is playing in the Wings organization."
.png?w=600)
