Explaining the Greatness of Chris Chelios to the Younger Generation of Chicago Blackhawks Fans

The Chicago Blackhawks are retiring Chris Chelios' No. 7 before the team takes on the Detroit Red Wings.

It is fitting to send his number to the United Center rafters considering he spent a combined 19 of his 26 NHL seasons with the Hawks and the Red Wings.

He won his Stanley Cups with Montreal and Detroit. He even won the Norris Trophy with the Canadiens, but it was with the Blackhawks where he won two more and made the majority of his 11 All-Star Game appearances.

For the younger part of the Millennial generation and everyone in Generation Z and Alpha, you never got a chance to see Chelios be a dominant blue-line force for the Chicago Blackhawks.

Also, this applies to anyone from the Silent Generation to Generation X who jumped on the Hawks' bandwagon in 2010 (there is nothing wrong with that).

In that case, you might be more excited for Patrick Kane's return to the United Center for the first time since he was traded at last year's deadline. You see Chelios had the same star power as Kane only it was three decades ago.

Sure, you may have heard your grandparents, parents, or older siblings recount tales of him going after the top stars of the 1990s on a nightly basis or brilliantly leading an offensive rush, but you never really got to see him play.

Well, for some you saw him win two Stanley Cups with the Red Wings. Think about it Connor Bedard was born six years after Chicago traded Chelios to Detroit.