Hawks don't need Chelios
Let's hope Hawks GM Dale Tallon is just trying to say the right things when he is asked about the team's possible interest in Chris Chelios.
Tallon said he might call Chelios when free agency starts, but do the Hawks really need to add a 47-year-old defenseman to what already is a very good blue line? No, they don't.
The Hawks do need a defenseman, but it should be a big, physical, stay-at-home guy such as Francois Beauchemin.
Chelios wanted out of town 10 years ago when things were turning bad. Now the Hawks are Stanley Cup contenders and they should be thinking about getting better and taking the next step, not bringing back former greats who are way past their prime.
I like Cheli a lot, and he would come cheap, but it's best he goes and plays somewhere else.
he is somehow going to transform the hawks D on the ice, or play a regular shift or add some needed physical toughness.
he isn't going to do any of those things...
you bring him back because.
1. he managed to get his name on the Cup at age 46, appearing in 69 games that year & made the defending cup champs roster the following year.
2. he has more knowledge & experience individually than the hawks team has combined (or pretty close)
3. he will sign for the minimum & wouldn't require a significant commitment.
4. he could provide 7/8 depth on defense & would be like an assistant coach for the hawks young D in the dressing room when he isn't playing.
5. the biggest reason you bring this guy back is the dedication & commitment he brings to himself & the game - to being in the best possible condition & shape he can - he would show the kids what it takes to have a long, successful career & that it isn't just about money...the wings didn't keep him all these years because they are dumb or they felt sorry for the guy - they kept bringing him back because he drove himself to be in the best possible shape to still be good enough to contribute to the team & pushed their younger guys to be better in so doing.
6. i think finishing his career in his hometown would mean a lot to him & he would take it very seriously - he would have the respect of teammates simply for the effort of trying to make it...& if the hawks commit to his being an assistant coach for the D if he can't play, I think it could be a win/win proposition.
there is little downside to signing him & the experience & intangibles he would bring is something this young team lacks & would be invaluable.
those who are spouting off about his ego or his playing for detroit as reasons to not consider him need to get over yourselves...
I respect your opinions and thought process but I just don't see Chelios's ego allowing him to be a 7th or 8th defenseman on a team like this. Yes, his leadership, experience, would be huge, but the guy wants to play. Taking away playing time from a Hammer, or Hendry does what good?
But if he approaches any negotiation as looking for guaranteed ice time, which team in their right mind is going to give a 47 year old guy that???
he can't be that dumb & if he is - real simple - no deal.
i think he has to know that he may not get any takers anywhere - but the hawks are one team where I think there is the possibility of a win/win, if he is prepared to be flexible & accept a transition from a playing career perhaps into coaching.
he obviously loves the game to have endured the training regimen he has for the past 10 years to stay in it (& with a contending team no less) & i suspect he would be interested in remaining in the game in a coaching capacity once his playing days are done...
chicago is an obvious destination not just because it's his hometown (which has obvious appeal to him) but the hawks have a young D corps that could benefit from his knowledge & experience (not just about the game but personal fitness training & conditioning, etc.).
The bottom line is if he doesn't cut it on the ice...he doesn't play - real simple. that has to be part of any deal & i think he is realistic enough to know that when you're 47, there can't be much expectations, much less any guarantees.
He would be brought in purely as a a depth guy who if walker & johnson aren't brought back, would be behind barker & sopel on the depth chart & certainly behind hjalmmarson who i'd put into a #4 alongside campbell as #3.
i think there is a deal there to be made that could benefit the hawks with chelios' knowledge & experience while giving chelios a chance to end his playing career where it started & an opportunity to transition into a new one that would continue to benefit the young hawks.
Ok, so this may be blasphemy in some circles but I don't care to see Cheli associated with the Hawks in any capacity.
The simple fact that there is no room for him in the line-up makes for a convenient excuse not to help Papa Turnstyle overstay his welcome in the league.
His was a great player, but the Hawks certainly don't owe him any favors. Look, I have no doubts that Dollar Bill had done him wrong and no doubt signing with the Wings was in part a jab at the old man. But "the finger" loomed even larger for fans like myself; for me, it was a Benedict Arnold moment--even without the oath.
He could have signed anywhere, really (rumor has it Philly offered him more money, but Cheli hated the GM or something?), but he signed THERE, of all places, and now Cheli has said himself that he would go into the Hall as a Wing.
Fine.
I don't care if he's a Chicago native (so is Lebda, Detroit still sucks), and I don't care if he was born on the mound at Wrigley. Everytime I've met him at signings and meet-and-greets he's been an arrogant jerk, so here's my "finger" right back at you, Cheli.
I don't care how you go into that good night as long as you do it elsewhere.
Roenick, on the other hand, will always have a special place in my heart. Great with fans and in his prime, a personification of the way the game was meant to be played, but sorry JR, no room in the lineup for you, either. At least not on the bench, but after some seasoning in the minors, perhaps in some capacity behind it?
Geez Sp27, and I thought I had resentment issues.........
As for Roenick or even Cheli ever coaching, I see them having major issues with their egos and the younger players. I think they'd have problems watching someone not "wanting it" as much as they did back in the day. We'll see, maybe they'll surprise us in a few years.
Chelios was in fact traded to the Wings by Wirtz and his henchman Pully.
South
Don't disagree but wasn't he traded to the Wings for Anders Erickson and a draft pick. If that is how he wound up on the Wings it makes for a little different story. I don't doubt that he was arrogant and a jerk but Dollar Bill and faithful sidekick Pully are the reasons he left as well as many others. I hope Tallon and the college of GM'S are smart enough not to sign him.
My understanding was that Chelios didn't want to play for the Flyers and specifically requested to be dealt to the Wings, and Dollar Bill (magnanimous as always), supposedly honored Cheli's request for his great years as a Blackhawk.
Now ask yourselves: what kind of moron deals a disgruntled, future Hall of Fame defenseman to a contending team within the division? A rival no less? For a loaf like Erikson and a pick? It doesn't make sense, and the whole scenario sounds too good to be true, but I guess no one will ever know the truth behind the "truth."
On a personal note, I don't hate or resent Chelios, but yes, I've met him four times and every time he's been a complete jerk to me. Actually, he's been rude to everyone I know who has met him, perhaps present company excluded.
He did say he'd go into the Hall as a Wing, so let him wave his little hat and pimp his overpriced chilli at the Joe, not here. Ever.
While we're at it let's bring back Doug Wilson and Steve Larmer and Kurt Fraser and Dirk Graham and Big Al Secord. And what about Savvy? Heck, why not sign Brett Favre too?
And what about Michael Jordan? Hoops, baseball, golf . . . has MJ ever played hockey? And what about Mia Hamm? Didn't she go snout to snout w/ MJ in those Gatorade commercials?
How about Ryan O'Neal? He was a productive power forward for the Harvard Crimson in the tear-jerking "Love Story."
What about the Bash Bros from "The Mighty Ducks?" I read on a different blog that they are unrestricted free agents.
What about Johnny Toews' dad? He used to tear up the backyard rink outside the cottage when Johnny was a major mite.
I like Dean Youngblood. What other played scored two goals and pounded the Rakki boy in the last 6 seconds of a game to win the Memorial Cup?
Maybe Alex P. Keaton, aka Michael j. Fox? Didn't he used to play in some Celebrity Hockey League?
Heck, why not teach Steven Seagal how to skate?
Hey, what about Mike Eruzione? That fellow is known for scoring big goals.
Failing all those suggestions, perhaps one of the Hanson Brothers are available to play for the league minimum -- to avoid the cap hit, of course.
during the early 90's. But that time has passed and so has hockey passed Cheli. He'd be a good coaching and/or scouting presence, but the 'Hawks have more pressing needs on defence than to bring him back. Even in his heyday, he'd be hard pressed to overcome some of the deficiencies on the current teams' blue-line corp (minus current #2 & #7 of course).
I mean... The headline is common sense.
The Hawks are all about new, young talent. The only reason I can see bringing in Chelios would be for a leadership presense, and I believe that his presense would only take away from the maturing leadership process Jonathan Toews will be going through in his second year as team captain. I say only bring in new young talent and let this team grow together.
This is an easy one. If they did bring Chelios back as a player, McDonough has more say than he should in personnel decisions, and the Bowmans have less, which would be a scary scenario. It's a no-brainer he has no place on this team, but will have his own night at some point. Cap space is precious because of Tallon's missteps, so there's no room to bring back a sentimental favorite.
I believe one of the main problems with the mgt and Cheli and JR was how they conducted themselves at the olympics. That was verrrrry embarrasing to the team and league
Loved him in the Indianhead. Respected him for the way he wore the C. I also understood him wanting to move on because of the idiots running the team into the ground. All that said, I still despised him for being a Red Wing. Any team but that, and I wouldn't have harbored all the ill will since he left. The only other knock is his ridiculous "Malibu Mafia", what a bunch of tools.
I don't think anyone will ever print the facts regarding his departure. The truth is something the Hawk's brass back then had an allergy to. And with his ego, I doubt he'd be that accurate either. It is what it is, another sad moment for Hawk fans to ponder.
Based on his Hawk history, he deserves his own night after he retires. That's it.
Heck, I'd even take Roenick.
Listen, I am realistic and know that Chris is way past his prime and would offer absolutely no help but I still want him back. If he can't get a contract with the Leafs, as they need to keep the average age up on their team, then the Hawks should get him.
Maybe I'm still bitter that when, in '91, some d bag next to me at the stadium said Chelios had a lady friend other than his wife. But I still hold the guy in high regard and while he can still play why not bring him in. End it right and not like that crap where the player signs a one day contract and "retieres" for that team.
I'm just saying...
was still running the asylum a few years ago but not now. No one loved #7 and #27 in the early 90's more than me (#30 too for that matter). However those days are long gone (so is the great arena they played in too but that's a story for another day) and it would have been only a publicity stunt before dollar bill went to whiskey heaven.
He'll be welcomed back as an ambassador to the team, just as JR will when he's retired. Perhaps even Cheli will secure a job as a scout or coach. But to play defence - like he used to or even close to - is out of the question.
Cheli dressed for that game, in which four Detroit d-men played more than 39 minutes each. Cheli had 6:42 of ice time. How bad can that be to his ego.
It wouldn't make any sense to bring Chelios back. At best he'd be a #7 d-man. It would just be a marketing move and hopefully the Hawks are past that. I do think Cheli gets a bad rap about going to Detroit. He was traded there not signed as a free agent. Why should we hold a grudge because of that? Has everyone forgot the Hawks pathetic management at that time. If they had done a better job of taking care of their own players there would not be a need for all these "welcome back nights". I think Cheli would have liked to stay in Chicago but with the likes of Dollar Bill and Pully running the show that wasn't going to happen. If you need anymore evidence the greatest Hawk of all time Bobby Hull was alienated by the hawks up to this year. He was even ready to come back and sign as a free agent here in 1977 but Pully blocked the signing that at least would have righted the terrible decision of letting him go to the WHA. With loyalty like that why should we have expected players being loyal to the Organ-I-Zation.
as has his usefullness.
When Rafalski was injured for a part of the Duck series, Chelios was the weak link that ALMOST lead to Wing defeat.
No way does he belong on this roster. If he wants to coach in some manner as an assistant I'm all for it as he certainly has the knowledge and ability to guide some of these young guys through whatever veers them off course. And the Hawks could do a lot worse than to sign him up as an ambassador ala Mikita and Savard.
That being said I'll still give him a shout for being the best defenseman the team ever had (no disrespect to Doug Wilson intended). It was a great deal by Keenan to get him and in his prime he was fun to watch for 30-35 minutes a night.
for your time, Cheli. The only way he comes back into the UC should be a) ambassador night and/or b) a visiting opponent.
It would be interesting to dig up some information about the real story behind Cheli turning his backside to the Westside by going to the Eastside.
I blogged essentially the same thing
Spot on Tim. Chelios is a great guy and "was" a great player but he doesn't need to be on the ice wearing a Blackhawks jersey. Best of luck Cheli in the Eastern Conference.
Tim, I believe "Chelios wanted out of town 10 years ago when things were turning bad" is a mis-characterization of what happened that led to Cheli leaving. I'd like to see a Between The Circles entry that clears the air once and for all. My memory is that near the trade deadline Cheli asked the Dark Years management if they were going to resign him to which the responded less than enthusiastically. I've seen a lot of `hawk fans call Cheli a traitor when really he got stabbed in the back. Do us a favor, spend some of the summer months on a journalistic background hunt and give us a blog entry that is as close to the truth as something like this could be, or maybe a "Cheli see it like this, fans see it like that, and the management from that time can't see anything since their heads are still up their @55" type article.