NAHL U.S. National Team

Chelios Named Olympic Team Captain

Published on February 1, 2006 under North American Hockey League (NAHL)
U.S. National Team News Release


COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - USA Hockey today named Chris Chelios (Chicago, Ill.) captain of the U.S. Olympic Men's Ice Hockey Team that will be competing at the 2006 Olympic Winter Games in Torino, Italy, later this month.

Chelios will serve as captain of the team for the third straight Olympics. Most recently, he helped lead Team USA to a silver medal at the 2002 Olympic Winter Games in Salt Lake City, Utah. He was also captain of Team USA at the 1998 Olympic Winter Games in Nagano, Japan.

At 44-years-old, Chelios will be the oldest American ever to compete in an Olympic Winter Games ice hockey tournament, and along with fellow 2006 Olympian Keith Tkachuk (Melrose, Mass.), is one of only two American ice hockey players to be named to four Olympic squads (1984, 1998, 2002, and 2006).

"We feel that Chris is not only a tremendous player, but also a terrific leader," said Don Waddell (Duluth, Ga.), general manager of the 2006 U.S. Olympic Men's Ice Hockey Team. "For us to have success, Chris is going to have to be a big part of it."

Overall, Chelios has donned a USA Hockey jersey 10 times, including most recently as captain of Team USA at the World Cup of Hockey 2004. Chelios helped lead Team USA to a gold medal at the inaugural World Cup of Hockey 1996, and won a silver medal with the United States at the 1991 Canada Cup.

Chelios' National Hockey League career has spanned 22 years and includes two Stanley Cups (Montreal Canadiens, 1986 and Detroit Red Wings, 2002); three James Norris Memorial Trophies as the NHL's best defenseman (1989, 1993 and 1996); and five stints as an NHL First Team All-Star (1989, 1993, 1995, 1996 and 2002).

Chelios also earned the distinction of being the first-ever American to captain the Montreal Canadiens during the 1989-90 season, and subsequently captained the Chicago Blackhawks from 1995-99. This season, Chelios has played in all 52 games with Detroit. He has competed in 1,447 career NHL games with 919 points on 180 goals and 739 assists.

NOTES: Chelios will be presented with his Team USA jersey by Don Waddell in an on-ice ceremony just prior to tonight's NHL game between St. Louis and Detroit at Joe Louis Arena in Detroit ... The 2006 U.S. Olympic Men's Ice Hockey Team begins competition on Feb. 15 (Wednesday) at 3 p.m. EST against Latvia ... A full Team USA roster and Olympic schedule can be found at usahockey.com.

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North American Hockey League Stories from February 1, 2006


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