Chris Chelios speaking with KHL side
Former National Hockey League defenseman Chris Chelios is speaking with Kontinetal Hockey League side Vityaz.
Chelios confirmed a Russian website’s report on Friday 26 November that the 48-year-old was speaking with KHL side Vityaz. Chelios admitted he was talking with Vityaz general manager Alex Zhamnov about possibly joining the team.
Chelios retired from hockey earlier this year, as the future hall-of-famer was no longer able to keep up with the pace of play at the NHL level.
Vityaz is also the home of former NHL players Chris Simon and Danny Markov. In addition, Zhamnov played with Chelios for three years when the two were on the Chicago Blackhawks.
Chelios spent last season split between the Atlanta Thrashers and their American Hockey League affiliate the Chicago Wolves.
Chelios looked at home in the AHL, playing 46 games and recording five goals and 17 assists for 22 points, while going an impressive plus-34. Conversely, the veteran looked lost at the NHL level. He was no longer able to keep up with the speed of the game
and was constantly out of position. Moreover, because of his age, his ice time was severely limited and he simply became ineffective. The Chicago native only managed one point in seven games, while going minus-two.
It is unclear how successful Chelios would be in the KHL. Traditionally the Russian league provides a more defensive brand of hockey. However, they play on Olympic sized ice surfaces and it would be a stretch to think that Chelios would be able to cover
that type of ground after already looking slow on the smaller NHL ice.
Chelios was drafted by the Montreal Canadiens in the 1981 NHL entry draft and played 26 seasons in the League before retiring at the end of the 2009-10 campaign.
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