Chris Chelios - What's his legacy in Montreal?

[Zam Boni]

Christos Kostas Chelios, drafted in the second round of the 1981 NHL Entrey Draft, 40th over all by the Montreal Canadiens. Played in part of seven season for the Habs, scoring 309 points in 402 games, to go with a a healthy 782 PIM.
Obviously, a member of the Stanley Cup team in 1986 and won the James Norris Trophy in 1989 and an All Star in 1990.
Traded in the summer of 1990, aged 28, to the Chicago Black Hawks and he went on to play an additional 20 years with varying success.

What's his legacy like in Montreal?
To a more casual NHL fan, is he probably better known as a Red Wing?

 

[Kaiden Ghoul]

I guess it depend of the age of the casual fan...

Chelios is clearly the best American dmen of all time for me and he would easily slide in my all time habs top 4

Robinson Harvey
Chelios Savard

Wish he stayed with us longer... I never got the chance to see him play in a MTL uniform but that's the kind of d men I build my D around. Put up points, GREAT leadership, physical and one of the best in his zone

 

[Pompeius Magnus]

Mean, nasty, supremely confident. All good traits for a dman in my book. He fit well into the 80's team culture we had but he wasn't well suited to the whole media pressure cooker and got in a lot of trouble. The trade has been covered ad nauseam , I'll just say that we never should have done it and leave it at that.

 

[Leon Lucius Black]

Christos Kostas Chelios, drafted in the second round of the 1981 NHL Entrey Draft, 40th over all by the Montreal Canadiens. Played in part of seven season for the Habs, scoring 309 points in 402 games, to go with a a healthy 782 PIM.
Obviously, a member of the Stanley Cup team in 1986 and won the James Norris Trophy in 1989 and an All Star in 1990.
Traded in the summer of 1990, aged 28, to the Chicago Black Hawks and he went on to play an additional 20 years with varying success.

What's his legacy like in Montreal?
To a more casual NHL fan, is he probably better known as a Red Wing?

I'd say he is best known as a Blackhawk, he won 2 Norris trophies there and put up 70 points twice in Chicago.

 

[Ozmodiar]

there’s no habs legacy. Just that he was traded for a bad return.

 

[Yukon Cornelius Habs]

A trade that still pisses me off is what he is to me.

Edit: I was 10 at the time.

 

[Mrb1p]

I guess it depend of the age of the casual fan...

Chelios is clearly the best American dmen of all time for me and he would easily slide in my all time habs top 4

Robinson Harvey
Chelios Savard

Wish he stayed with us longer... I never got the chance to see him play in a MTL uniform but that's the kind of d men I build my D around. Put up points, GREAT leadership, physical and one of the best in his zone

IDK man

Is he better than Lapointe, Subban and Markov?

A lot agreed that Lapointe was at times better than Larry.

 

[habdynasty]

One of the worst trades ever.

 

[calder candidate]

A real great player everything you want from a Dman, played hard and partied even harder...
S.Savard said multiple time that doctors told him that is knee was done but there had to be a off ice incident (pretty sure he did a lot worst than Kassian) for him to be traded.
Being traded probably shock him or hurt is ego he when to Chicago and straighten up a bit and really dominated winning two more Norris (having to beat out Bourque and other HOF) and even when he declined he was able to adjust adapt playing PRO hockey 25+ season is impressive.

 

[PaulD]

Christos Kostas Chelios, drafted in the second round of the 1981 NHL Entrey Draft, 40th over all by the Montreal Canadiens. Played in part of seven season for the Habs, scoring 309 points in 402 games, to go with a a healthy 782 PIM.
Obviously, a member of the Stanley Cup team in 1986 and won the James Norris Trophy in 1989 and an All Star in 1990.
Traded in the summer of 1990, aged 28, to the Chicago Black Hawks and he went on to play an additional 20 years with varying success.

What's his legacy like in Montreal?
To a more casual NHL fan, is he probably better known as a Red Wing?

Chelly was one of my favorite Habs in the 80s.
Leader for sure.
Hated to lose.
Team mates loved him. Opponents hated him.
Trailing by a goal in last 2 minutes.......put Chelly on.
Leading by a goal in last 2 minutes.....put Chelly on.
Fitness freak like Chara. In Chicago as captain used to ask coach to let him play an entire 60 minutes without coming off. He believed he could do it. "No problem"

Best Hab D all time.

Robinson
Harvey
Lapoint
Savard
Chelios
Markov

Great Thread

 

[DangerDave]

IDK man

Is he better than Lapointe, Subban and Markov?

A lot agreed that Lapointe was at times better than Larry.

Better than Marky and Subby for sure and that's not a knock on those 2. Chelios was a beast.

 

[PaulD]

IDK man

Is he better than Lapointe, Subban and Markov?

A lot agreed that Lapointe was at times better than Larry.

Yes people said that. There was a span where Dryden will tell you as well. Only Orr was better than Guy Lapoint. But Larry had a physicality and endurance (along with the skill set) to his game that puts him just ahead of Guy.
Yet there were play off games in the 70s where Lapoint was the best player on the ice.
I list Chelly ahead of Markov but behind Lapoint.

 

[PaulD]

I guess it depend of the age of the casual fan...

Chelios is clearly the best American dmen of all time for me and he would easily slide in my all time habs top 4

Robinson Harvey
Chelios Savard

Wish he stayed with us longer... I never got the chance to see him play in a MTL uniform but that's the kind of d men I build my D around. Put up points, GREAT leadership, physical and one of the best in his zone

Keenan was over the moon to acquire him.

I hated the trade at the time....and still do.

Had a letter published in the hockey news that summer ripping the Canadiens for the trade.

 

[PaulD]

there’s no habs legacy. Just that he was traded for a bad return.

Stanley Cup winner. Norris trophy winner. Captain. Warrior. Dirty bastard. 7 seasons

Thats a legacy.


If it aint.............. every player on the roster today would have to be considered what?..... beer leaguer

 

[PaulD]

I'd say he is best known as a Blackhawk, he won 2 Norris trophies there and put up 70 points twice in Chicago.

Except to Habs fans..........Yes.

 

[Zam Boni]

I'd say he is best known as a Blackhawk, he won 2 Norris trophies there and put up 70 points twice in Chicago.

Yes, I can see you can make a case for that. Captain i Chicago as well.

 

[Habsfan18]

IDK man

Is he better than Lapointe, Subban and Markov?

A lot agreed that Lapointe was at times better than Larry.

You’re seriously underrating Chelios. I assume you’re speaking just on his Habs career?

Chelios is a top 10 defenseman all-time.

1. Bobby Orr
2. Doug Harvey
3. Ray Bourque
4. Eddie Shore
5. Nick Lidstrom
6. Denis Potvin
7. Red Kelly
8. Viacheslav Fetisov
9. Larry Robinson
10. Chris Chelios

Chelios played his best hockey in a Blackhawks uniform, however. Still, he was a VERY effective player in his Montreal career. That trade was awful.

 

[sandviper]

Mean, nasty, supremely confident. All good traits for a dman in my book. He fit well into the 80's team culture we had but he wasn't well suited to the whole media pressure cooker and got in a lot of trouble. The trade has been covered ad nauseam , I'll just say that we never should have done it and leave it at that.

My words exactly.

On that note, one of my favorite Habs players of all time.

 

[robicgi]

IDK man

Is he better than Lapointe, Subban and Markov?

A lot agreed that Lapointe was at times better than Larry.

Still have a signed puck from Lapoint from the old Forum. Was a stud for sure. Anyone remember when hextall threw the hit on Chelios lol. Cant remember the game but think it was playoffs. That's the play I remember from Chelios (loved the guy as a player though just that stands out)

 

[Mrb1p]

You’re seriously underrating Chelios. I assume you’re speaking just on his Habs career?

Chelios is a top 10 defenseman all-time.

1. Bobby Orr
2. Doug Harvey
3. Ray Bourque
4. Eddie Shore
5. Nick Lidstrom
6. Denis Potvin
7. Red Kelly
8. Viacheslav Fetisov
9. Larry Robinson
10. Chris Chelios

Chelios played his best hockey in a Blackhawks uniform, however. Still, he was a VERY effective player in his Montreal career. That trade was awful.

Yes, as a Habs. I think Subban peaked just as high as Chelios did (Higher ? Unsure if you can call Chelios the best Dman on the planet at any point in his career, meanwhile Subban clearly was from 14 to 16, though the Karlsson injury played a big part in that.)


Id also slot in Coffey, Keith and Karlsson ahead of Chelios.

The biggest omition though, is Chris Pronger.

 

[peate]

I'm probably wrong but, wasn't he the first American born player on the Habs?

He was great, had Markov's hockey sense and Subban's explosiveness, when he was young at least. So many rumors to his trade, and if we had picked correctly in the 80 draft, the trade would have gone a whole lot differently, or never happen.

Edit: I already found Ludwig as earlier US born, probably more.

The winner, Harry Mummery, played 24 games in 1920-21 season. Just goes to show.

 

[BenchBrawl]

Yes, as a Habs. I think Subban peaked just as high as Chelios did (Higher ? Unsure if you can call Chelios the best Dman on the planet at any point in his career, meanwhile Subban clearly was from 14 to 16, though the Karlsson injury played a big part in that.)


Id also slot in Coffey, Keith and Karlsson ahead of Chelios.

The biggest omition though, is Chris Pronger.

Here are their Norris records (Top 10 only):

Chelios: 1, 1, 1, 2, 2, 3, 4, 6, 6, 6, 6, 8
Karlsson: 1, 1, 2, 2, 7
Keith: 1, 1, 4, 6, 6, 7, 9
Subban: 1, 3, 3
Pronger: 1, 3, 3, 3, 4, 5, 5, 7, 8
Coffey: 1, 1, 1, 2, 2, 3, 4, 5, 5, 5, 5, 7, 7, 9

Coffey is the only one in the same ballpark, but Coffey is Coffey. A huge defensive question mark. Sometimes he played decent defense, sometimes not. Chelios was a beast defensively and physically, and before age 35 he was pretty good offensively too.

Now Pronger's Norris record underrates him for sure. Probably the same can be said of Keith.

Subban wasn't the best D in the league for any considerable stretch, as his Norris record shows since his Norris finishes are not consecutive.

That said, Pronger peaked higher than Chelios, but it was for one year only, when he won the Hart. I'd take Pronger in the playoffs over Chelios. Karlsson also peaked very high, but his peak didn't last as long as his Norris recordi ndicate (for a while he was not that good defensively).

Subban doesn't belong in this conversation in any way, shape or form.

In any case, mayyyyybe Pronger has a case, if you stretch it, but the others are not close to Chris Chelios. Coffey is a special, polarizing case which I don't feel like getting into now, so just ignore him for my purpose.

 

[Habsfan18]

Yes, as a Habs. I think Subban peaked just as high as Chelios did (Higher ? Unsure if you can call Chelios the best Dman on the planet at any point in his career, meanwhile Subban clearly was from 14 to 16, though the Karlsson injury played a big part in that.)


Id also slot in Coffey, Keith and Karlsson ahead of Chelios.

The biggest omition though, is Chris Pronger.

Chelios Norris voting record: 1, 1, 1, 2, 2, 3, 4, 6, 6, 6, 6

All-star voting: 1, 1, 1, 2, 2, 3, 3, 6, 6, 7, 7, 9

Hart voting: 7, 10

Subban is so far from Chelios’s calibre that they shouldn’t even be in the same conversation at all. And this coming from a guy that loved Subban.

Keith and Karlsson also don’t come close to comparing with Chelios’s accolades. Both already have their place on history as candidates for top 100 players of all-time slots, but Chelios has a case for top 40 all-time. And top 10 D, of course.

 

[Adriatic]

Yes, as a Habs. I think Subban peaked just as high as Chelios did (Higher ? Unsure if you can call Chelios the best Dman on the planet at any point in his career, meanwhile Subban clearly was from 14 to 16, though the Karlsson injury played a big part in that.)

So much wrong in this post don't know where to start.

 

[Mrb1p]

Here are their Norris records (Top 10 only):

Chelios: 1, 1, 1, 2, 2, 3, 4, 6, 6, 6, 6, 8
Karlsson: 1, 1, 2, 2, 7
Keith: 1, 1, 4, 6, 6, 7, 9
Subban: 1, 3, 3
Pronger: 1, 3, 3, 3, 4, 5, 5, 7, 8
Coffey: 1, 1, 1, 2, 2, 3, 4, 5, 5, 5, 5, 7, 7, 9

Coffey is the only one in the same ballpark, but Coffey is Coffey. A huge defensive question mark. Sometimes he played decent defense, sometimes not. Chelios was a beast defensively and physically, and before age 35 he was pretty good offensively too.

Now Pronger's Norris record underrates him for sure. Probably the same can be said of Keith.

Subban wasn't the best D in the league for any considerable stretch, as his Norris record shows since his Norris finishes are not consecutive.

That said, Pronger peaked higher than Chelios, but it was for one year only, when he won the Hart. I'd take Pronger in the playoffs over Chelios. Karlsson also peaked very high, but his peak didn't last as long as his Norris recordi ndicate (for a while he was not that good defensively).

Subban doesn't belong in this conversation in any way, shape or form.

In any case, mayyyyybe Pronger has a case, if you stretch it, but the others are not close to Chris Chelios.

Chelios Norris voting record: 1, 1, 1, 2, 2, 3, 4, 6, 6, 6, 6

All-star voting: 1, 1, 1, 2, 2, 3, 3, 6, 6, 7, 7, 9

Hart voting: 7, 10

Subban is so far from Chelios’s calibre that they shouldn’t even be in the same conversation at all. And this coming from a guy that loved Subban.

Keith and Karlsson also don’t come close to comparing with Chelios’s accolades. Both already have their place on history as top 100 players all-time, but Chelios has a case for top 40 all-time.

Again, those three guys have specific moments in hockey history where they ranked as the best defenseman on the planet.

Whats the span for Chelios?
86 ? Maybe.
93 Spear heading the two top teams in the league, Bourque and Chelios finished close again, Chelly got a bit more 1st place votes while having less points and less goals... and a massive 60 shot deficit ont he counter. Bourque was a machine, probably the best defensive defenseman to ever live AND he put up 340 shot that year. He also had less powerplay points than Chelios, who scored a massive forty of his points on the PP. Id be one of those that would be leaning hard on Bourque here. Top it all off the second best D behind Chelios had 53 to Don Sweeneys 34... I mean, maybe you can call him better by a hair.
94 he surely wasnt better than Coffey who put up a legendary run with the Wings.
95 Bourque actually got more first place vote than Chelios that year, quite a ridiculous turn of event.

Those are awfully short spans (86 and 93) to be considered the best. Thats what matters to me, and then were only talking about the Habs too, for Subban, Lapointe and Markov.