Blackhawks defensemen reveals he was put in jail following street fight

As a three-time Norris Trophy winner, Chris Chelios is one of the Chicago Blackhawks' most successful defensemen.

He also had the brass to back up the trophies, as he accumulated the most penalty minutes for the team during his career with the Blackhawks, 1,495 in 664 games.

Before being traded to the Blackhawks, he wasn't one to back down from a fight. As he was sitting in jail after a fight with two police officers in 1990 in Madison, Wisconsin.




In the aftermath of the June 28th fight, Chelios and Gary Suter were sent packing to Chicago. This was a blessing for Chelios, who spent 9 of his 26 seasons in the league in Chicago.

Denis Savard would go to Montreal with a 2nd round pick in 1991 on the deal. The deal was made by Mike Keenan, then coach and general manager of the Blackhawks.

The fight between Chelios, Suter, and two Wisconsin cops took place after Chelios went outside to relieve himself instead of waiting in line.

An undercover cop eventually found him and told him to stop, which he refused and set the defenseman off. Suter allegedly began the altercation by swinging at the undercover cops as he emerged from the bar.


A misdemeanor charge of disorderly conduct, as well as the charge of resisting an officer, was filed against Chelios.

Montreal then sent him packing shortly afterward.

Michael Jordan, Eddie Vedder, Cindy Crawford, Dennis Rodman, and others attended Chelio's grand ceremony on Sunday. He was honored to have his number retired in the Windy City.

According to Chelios, he wouldn't have become the defenseman he is today without the Wisconsin Badgers and Montreal Canadiens.

With the Habs, he felt he earned a "Harvard degree" in defense.

As Seen On: thehockeynews.com