Detroit Red Wings: Should Chris Chelios Retire?

Sometime before the season starts, Chris Chelios is expected to sign a contract with the Detroit Red Wings for close to the league minimum of $475,000 for this coming year. At 46 years old, what more does Chelios have to offer the Red Wings?

I used to like Chelios as the fifth or sixth defenseman. After watching last season’s playoffs and seeing the team succeed without Chelios playing, it is clear he is taking up a roster spot that Brett Lebda, Kyle Quincey, Derek Meech, or Jonathan Ericsson could be using. All four could do the same job as well as Chelios without taking as many penalties Chelios does, while getting valuable playing time. If Detroit wants to keep Chelios around to help teach the kids, they should offer him a coaching position of some sort.

Looking at this from Chelios’ perspective, why not go out a champion? I have heard he wants to play for the Americans in the 2010 Olympics, but is that a given that they will take him?

Mike Komisarek, Hal Gill, Mathieu Schneider, John Michael Liles, Brian Rafalski, Ryan Whitney, Tom Preissing should all be front runners for the 2010 games and that’s not including newcomers to the league like Keith Ballard, Jack Johnson, Eric Johnson, or Zach Bogosian.

From a fan’s view, I would rather see sports players go out on top then try and stick around for as long as they can, and have no teams be interested in their services. I think the Wings are doing Chelios a favor by giving him a contract when Chelios should bow out gracefully and hang up the skates.