Last night, during a Pearl Jam concert at the United Center, lead singer Eddie Vedder announced on stage that the Blackhawks will retire Chris Chelios’ jersey on Feb. 25 against the Detroit Red Wings. He is the ninth player to have his number retired in the franchise.
Chelios played for the Blackhawks between 1990-1999 and was the captain for his last four seasons with the team before being traded to Detroit. He’s 1st in games played among US-born defensemen with 1,651 and 4th in points among Blackhawks defensemen with 487. He’s a three-time Stanley Cup and Norris Trophy winner.
With Chelios’ jersey retirement announcement, the Blackhawks also have new guidelines for the future. When it comes to fellow former Blackhawks defenseman and three-time Stanley Cup champion Brent Seabrook, he could still have his jersey retired. Seabrook will become eligible after three years into his retirement, which comes after his contract with the Tampa Bay Lightning ends. This goes for other one-goal era players, including Jonathan Toews, Patrick Kane, and Duncan Keith.
