Chris Chelios tried walking onto his local college hockey team. At the time, he was a 5’10”, 155-pound center competing against players three or four years older than him. The tryouts didn’t go well, and he got cut.
“In hindsight, I probably didn’t deserve to make the team. It looked as if my hockey career was over before it truly began."
At the time, he was a self-described “teenage beach bum delinquent”. He had no job and no path to continue playing hockey. One day on the beach, he bumped into Bobby Parker – another guy who tried out for the same college team.
Parker made the squad but told Chris it was a bad fit and he was going back home.
“He had decided he wanted to return to his Canadian hometown of Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, to play Tier II junior hockey. He suggested I call his coach, Larry Billows, and ask for a tryout.”
Chelios hesitated at first. Just a year earlier, he’d tried out for two junior teams in Canada and got cut both times. A few days later, Chris figured he’d give it one last shot. From a payphone next to a lifeguard tower, he called the Canucks’ coach. The conversation would change his life forever.
“What position do you play?” Billows asked.
“What positions do you need?” Chris replied.
“I need a D man,” he said.
“Good,” Chris lied, “because I play defense.”
Up to that point, Chelios had never played a single minute of defense in his life.
“I had nothing to lose.”
Billows offered him a tryout, and the rest is history. Chris Chelios ended up becoming the oldest NHL defenseman of all time, winning 3 Stanley Cups and 3 Norris Trophies. His climb from beach bum to Hall of Famer is one of the most unlikely journeys in sports history.
by ThreeDog_GNR
8 Comments
That lie made him a millionaire
It’s a good story, but given that conversation, I think it’s less about “lying” and more about “showing that you’re willing to do whatever the team needs”.
Wow, can’t believe I’ve never heard that story. That’s pretty awesome.
The lie got him in the door, but his commitment to the game made him the defenseman he became. Dude worked his ass off every shift I ever saw him play.
I had a coach who was best friends with him at this time. Chelios even signed his Wisconsin commitment in his basement. Dude was basically homeless. Insane story.
This shit went down like finding a dude to roll with in club when you’re playing chel 😂😂😂
This is nothing short of amazing. I had no idea.
Goes to show that those that are determined enough and have enough passion for something can achieve their goals.
The YouTube clip of him getting chirped for just coming back from Costa Rica makes so much more sense now haha
That’s also like me applying to jobs online I am not qualified for except they haven’t broke through (yet) lmao