Chris Chelios in Chicago, Again?

The only thing about being a sports fan that I find super painful is when a great athlete can’t admit that it’s time to retire.

Being a longtime Buffalo Sabres fan, I always admired winger Dave Andreychuk who didn’t exactly have the smoothest skating stride but still carved out a borderline Hall of Fame career. Taken 16th overall in 1982, this Hamilton, Ontario native netted 649 goals in a 23-year career that really should have only been 22.

Even though I followed his every move with pure enjoyment and anticipation during his career which saw him play for the Buffalo Sabres, Toronto Maple Leafs, New Jersey Devils, Boston Bruins, Colorado Avalanche, and the Tampa Bay Lightning, I was rooting for him to do the right thing and retire after the 2004 season.

At that time Andreychuk was 41 years old and was enjoying the excitement which comes with winning the Stanley Cup. During that magical spring run to the Stanley Cup in 2004, Andreychuk, who was with the Lightning, registered 14 points in 23 playoff games and finally got to fulfill his boyhood dream of lifting Lord Stanley. At that moment I remember thinking that’s the perfect way to retire and with news of a possible lockout in the fall I was happy that one of my favorite players persevered long enough to finally get his Stanley Cup ring.

A year after the lockout I thought it was the biggest mistake and couldn’t believe that this winger, who played his junior hockey for the Oshawa Generals, was coming back with the Lightning. I don’t mean to sound so dramatic but it tore my heart out when after 42 games in 2006, Tampa Bay waived the 42-year-old, who only had six goals in that point of the season.

Andreychuk, who had his best goal-scoring season in 1994 with 53, suffered the indignity of either being shipped down to Springfield or retiring. That’s when he finally made the decision to retire.

Fast forward to 2009 and the exact same thing is happening with this time a sure Hall of Famer in 47-year-old defenseman Chris Chelios. This 26-year veteran, who is a three-time Stanley Cup winner, found out on Monday from Wings General Manager Ken Holland that the team won’t resign him.

“I met with Chelios and told him we would not be offering him a contract,” Holland said. “He wants to play again. I really think that he does have another year in him. I think he can play 10 or 15 minutes. I think he can play on a third pair.”  

Chelios, who has 948 career points didn’t score a point in 28 games last season but finished with a +1 rating. It was a great ride for Chelios and now is the time for this old warrior to step down and announce his official retirement. In the last week or so, rumors have been circulating that he will be going to Chicago for a second stint with the Blackhawks.