US Hockey Hall of Fame inductee Chris Chelios, the greatest US-born player ever?

Updated with 2 stories in which Chelios actually speaks at 7:52 AM, Sunday morning: On Monday in Chicago, Red Wings player mentor and former Wings, Blackhawks, Canadiens and Thrashers defenseman Chris Chelios will be inducted into the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame, and the Chicago Tribune?s Steve Rosenbloom suggests that the US HHOF is welcoming its ultimate inductee:

I don?t know what USA Hockey plans to say about Chris Chelios on Monday night. I?m not sure how the nation?s governing ice hockey body will describe Chelios when it inducts him into the United States Hockey Hall of Fame in his hometown of Chicago. But it doesn?t get any simpler.

Greatest American hockey player ever. There have been better U.S.-born skaters, and the truth is, Chelios struck me as one of the clunkiest skaters among great players I?ve ever seen. There have been better U.S.-born passers and stick-handlers among defensemen, and there have been U.S.-born players with harder shots and more goals and more points.

But there never has been a better U.S.-born player than Chelios because there never has been another American who combined skill, smarts, leadership, toughness and longevity the way Chelios did.

Continued, and thanks to Paul for the link?

Update: Chelios discussed his induction with the Grand Rapids Press?s Michael Zuidema when he visited the Griffins? youngsters...

Source: http://www.kuklaskorner.com/index.php/tmr/comments/us_hockey_hall_of_fame_inductee_chris_chelios_the_greatest_us-born_player_e/

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