Chris Chelios To Enter US Hockey Hall of Fame

On Monday, former Blackhawks captain Chris Chelios was named a new member of the US Hockey Hall of Fame. Also entering the USHHOF this year will be another former Hawks defenseman, Gary Suter,  with Keith Tkachuk, Mike “Doc” Emrick and Ed Snider.

This is the third year that a prominent former Blackhawks player will be inducted. Tony Amonte (2009) and Jeremy Roenick (2010) have represented the Hawks the last two years.

Chelios made the All Star team every season he was in Chicago until the bitter end. He played in seven All Star Games as a member of the Hawks.

Chelios was, from 1995-99, one of the most respected captains in the history of the organization.

Chelios is the Blackhawks’ all-time leader with 1,495 penalty minutes, and ranks third in Blackhawks history in scoring among defensemen with 487 points. He scored 92 goals, 13 of which were game-winners, and scored .733 points per game as a member of the Hawks.

Chelios represented the USA in 1996 World Cup of Hockey and was captain of the USA’s team at the 1998 Olympics – as a member of the Blackhawks.

He is one of only four players in Blackhawks history to win the Norris Trophy as the league’s best defenseman (Pierre Pilote, Doug Wilson and Duncan Keith are the others). Only Chelios and Pilote have more than one Norris in a Chicago sweater.

Chelios was acquired in a trade on June 29, 1990 from Montreal with a second round pick for Denis Savard.

Suter, who played for Chicago from 1993-98, scored 179 points (53 goals, 126 assists) in 301 games in the Indian head sweater. He ranks fifth all-time among Hawks defenseman with 27 power play goals.