Chris Chelios became an NHL superstar while playing with the Montreal Canadiens, winning his first Norris Trophy after scoring 73 points in 80 games during the 1988-89 season.
He became the first non-Canadian player to captain the Canadiens, but in the summer of 1990, he was traded to his hometown team, the Chicago Blackhawks.
Chelios went on to win two of his three Norris Trophies with the Blackhawks, and he’s still the team’s all-time penalty minutes leader with 1,495 in 664 games.
But Chelios’ move to Chicago wasn’t without controversy, and he actually already had a visit to the sin-bin before his trade to Chicago from Montreal, but only it wasn’t a penalty box…
When Chris Chelios had his No. 7 retired by the Blackhawks earlier this year, he revealed that he spent the night in jail before he was traded to Chicago.
”The day I got traded to Chicago, I was actually in jail the night before,” Chelios told reporters. ”I don’t care. It was a fight, a street fight.”
Chris Chelios said that Bob ’Pully’ Pulford, the then-general manager of the Blackhawks, called him up and told him not to worry about it.
”No big deal. And Pully called me up and said, ’If that’s the worst you’ve done, don’t worry about it, it will be fine.’”
Everything turned out fine for Chelios.
He played nine of his 26 seasons with the Blackhawks and, earlier this year, became the ninth player to have his number retired.
Chris Chelios was traded to the Blackhawks on June 29, 1990, and the day before, he was out having some drinks with former University of Wisconsin teammate Gary Suter.
Chelios went outside the bar to pee when police suddenly showed up. Chelios didn’t like being told he couldn’t relieve himself outside the bar, and as Suter came out of the bar, he allegedly took a swing at an officer.
Chelios was charged with misdemeanors for disorderly conduct and resisting an officer, but it was eventually reduced and resolved with fines, and Chelios went on to become one of the best defensemen in NHL history.