Eddie Vedder Surprises Blackhawks Legend Chris Chelios With Retired Number News At Pearl Jam Concert

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Having your number retired by a franchise is one of the highest honors a professional athlete can achieve, and there’s no better way to cement your status as a legend than having your jersey immortalized in the rafters—an honor longtime Chicago Blackhawks defenseman Chris Chelios recently discovered he’ll be receiving with some help from Eddie Vedder.

Chelios played in the NHL for a whopping 26 seasons after making his debut with the Canadiens in 1984.

He won a Stanley Cup in Montreal before he was traded to Chicago in 1990, and while he never won a title during his time with the team, he posted more than 450 points and spent a few years serving as the captain of the squad before being shipped off to the Red Wings toward the end of his ninth season with the Blackhawks.

Chelios would go on to win two more Stanley Cups in Detroit before his NHL career came to an end following a brief stint with the Thrashers in 2010, and he was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2013.

On Thursday, Chelios headed back to his old stomping grounds at the United Center for a Pearl Jam concert, and he eventually got the chance to join Eddie Vedder and the rest of the band onstage.

While that would’ve been a pretty cool moment on its own, Chelios was treated to a fairly unexpected announcement when Vedder informed him and the rest of the crowd that former Blackhawks owner Rocky Wirtz had pledged to retire the defenseman’s number before passing away earlier this year and told him that he’ll be at the center of ceremony that will take place on February 25, 2024.

The Blackhawks legend was also treated to a “CHELLY!” chant after receiving the news, and it’s safe to assume he’ll get a similar reception when he heads back to the United Center next year to see his jersey hung next to other hockey legends including Bobby Hull and Denis Savard.