Chelios expected to retire, join Wings on Tuesday

The Detroit Red Wings will hold a press conference Tuesday where it is expected they will announce Chris Chelios has retired and joined the front office in a player-development capacity.

Chelios spent 10 of his 26 NHL seasons on the Wings' blue line, winning a pair of Stanley Cups. He had 152 points in 578 games, plus another 28 points in 103 Stanley Cup Playoff games.

While the Wings did not reveal the details of Tuesday's announcement, Chelios and Wings GM Ken Holland have said this would be happening earlier this summer.

"It looks like I'm going to stay in Detroit and take a job with the Red Wings," Chelios said during an appearance at Chicago's Wrigley Field.

Holland also told the Detroit Free Press: "I don't have a title for him, but he's going to do a little player development. After '09 when I told him we weren't going to re-sign him, I told him to keep in touch. He called me in May and told me he was going to take me up on my offer."

Chelios signed with the Atlanta Thrashers organization last season, spending most of the season with the AHL Chicago Wolves. He had 26 points in 44 games, and with the Thrashers looking for a veteran presence for a late-season playoff push, he was promoted for seven games, during which he went scoreless.

They were the final seven games that pushed his total to 1,651 -- the most ever by a defenseman and fourth-most all-time, behind only Gordie Howe, Mark Messier and Ron Francis. He finished with 185 goals and 948 points.

Back to top