The star-studded list of people attending former Chicago Blackhawks defenseman Chris Chelios' jersey retirement continues to grow and now includes Chicago Bulls star Michael Jordan.
On Wednesday morning, Chelios joined 670 The Score's Mully and Haugh and revealed that Jordan is scheduled to attend his ceremony.
Stay in the game with the latest updates on your beloved Chicago sports teams! Sign up here for our All Access Daily newsletter.
"I think the cat is out of the bag," Chelios told The Score. "I'm gonna try to bring everybody I possibly can that had an impact on me. Obviously [Michael Jordan] was a big part of my '90s. Michael was there since '83 and I got there in '91. I met him that Spring at a White Sox game with George Koehler, his assistant."
"Like, I said, I got a pretty good Rolodex over the span of my career. So I'm loading up. This is the last Hurrah. I'm going to make it a good one."
Chelios found out his jersey was being retired when his close friend Eddie Vedder delivered the news to him on September 7, during the Pearl Jam concert at the United Center.
Starting at 2:15 p.m., the Blackhawks will host a panel in the atrium headlined by Ed Belfour, Jeremy Roenick, Tony Amonte, and Denis Savard.
Blackhawks News
The team ceremony to honor Chelios is scheduled to start at 3:10 p.m.
The first 10,000 fans to the United Center will earn a replica No. 7 jersey banner in his honor. The Cheli's Chili pop-up will also be up and running. It's an indirect nod to the famous Cheli's Chili bar owned by Chelios, which was originally located on Madison St.
Chelios will become the ninth player in franchise history to have his number retired, joining Glenn Hall (No. 1), Keith Magnuson (No. 3), Pierre Pilote (No. 3), Bobby Hull (No. 9), Denis Savard (No. 18), Stan Mikita (No. 21), Tony Esposito (No. 35) and Marian Hossa (No. 81).
Chelios spent nine of his 26 NHL seasons in his hometown of Chicago, where he produced 487 points (92 goals, 395 assists) in 664 regular-season games and added 48 points (12 goals, 36 assists) in 65 postseason contests. His 487 points rank fourth among defensemen in franchise history.
During his time with the Blackhawks, Chelios appeared in five NHL All-Star Games, captured two Norris Trophies as the league's top defenseman, and even garnered Hart Trophy votes — for league MVP — in two of the seasons. He also served as the team captain from 1995-99.
Chelios was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame on Nov. 8, 2013.
The game also represents Patrick Kane's first time at the United Center since being traded to the New York Rangers precisely one year and four days prior to the Feb. 25 game. His last game at the United Center was when the Blackhawks played the Las Vegas Golden Knights at home on Feb. 21.
He played the rest of the 2022-23 season out with the Rangers before signing with the Detroit Red Wings earlier this season. This season, through 20 games, Kane has seven goals and 10 assists to his name.
Kane will surely earn a huge standing ovation from the United Center crowd in attendance.
NBC Sports Chicago will have special coverage of the ceremony starting at 3 p.m., before Blackhawks Pregame Live, with a show called Chris Chelios: 7 Forever.