  Chris Chelios faces the Leafs Thursday night for the first time in an Atlanta Thrashers uniform. (File photo) |
ATLANTA -- When Chris Chelios was drafted in 1981 by the Montreal Canadiens, the captain of the rival Maple Leafs was Darryl Sittler.
That should put into perspective just how long the NHL's senior citizen has been hacking, whacking and skating in the world's premiere hockey league.
Thursday night, at the tender young age of 48, Chelios will be at it again, partnering with 19-year old Zach Bogosian for the Atlanta Thrashers against the Maple Leafs at Philips Arena.
"He's a good kid," Chelios said of Bogosian. "He's fast. Real fast."
Chelios chuckles when asked if he's going to keep playing until he reaches 50. There will be, he insists, no predictions of how long he'll stick around.
At the same time, he refuses to put a date on his possible retirement.
"Never say never," he said.
After spending the majority of the season with the American Hockey League's Chicago Wolves, Chelios was called up by the Thrashers for the stretch run. And while he only has seen action in three previous games -- recording zero points and going minus-1 in that time -- coach John Anderson insists he has been a positive influence on the young Thrashers.
"We brought him up for his veteran leadership and he's exhibited exactly that," Anderson said. "He's been great with the young guys."
Many of whom, like Bogosian, weren't even born when Chelios played his first NHL game.
