July 27, 2025<\/a><\/p>\nSandler unfortunately wasn\u2019t on set the same day as Chelios and Sean Avery, the former NHL enforcer who appeared alongside Chelios, but they still got to hang out with some of the movie\u2019s other stars for a good eight hours or so. <\/p>\n
Less than one hour of that was spent actually filming their black-and-white scene as mob henchmen, which was cut down to a few seconds in the movie.<\/p>\n
\u201cOther than the guy just walking up, there was nothing said, so we couldn\u2019t screw it up,\u201d Chelios quipped.<\/p>\n
Back to hockey<\/p>\n
With the \u2018Happy Gilmore 2′ hullabaloo dying down now, Chelios can shift his focus back to hockey.<\/p>\n
As his daughter Caley enters her fifth season broadcasting Hawks games, Chelios will also be needed to help the Hawks plan and execute grand plans for their centennial season.<\/p>\n
He seems on track to be an unofficial booking agent, which means nobody should be surprised if Pearl Jam frontman Eddie Vedder pops up again sometime this winter.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey called earlier; they want to bring in some Chicago celebrities,\u201d Chelios said. \u201cI don\u2019t think anybody is going to turn down the opportunity to come to the United Center.\u201d<\/p>\n
Chelios himself will be celebrated with a bobblehead giveaway Dec. 13 against the Red Wings, the culminating game of the \u201cMadhouse\u201d era of the team\u2019s centennial programming.<\/p>\n
The Hawks didn\u2019t make bobbleheads for Chelios\u2019 jersey retirement night in February 2024, but they \u2014 and his other teams \u2014 did do so many times in the past, so he\u2019s eager to add this one to the collection.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s kind of funny to see a little figurine of yourself,\u201d he said. \u201cI\u2019m sure my grandkids will get a kick out of it.<\/p>\n
\u201cI would say, with all the technology, they\u2019re better now \u2014 but they\u2019re not. It\u2019s always the same old story. Most of them didn\u2019t look like me. Sometimes they got the hair right, and the nose is easy to get right. But the rest of them were hit-or-miss.\u201d<\/p>\n
Blashill\u2019s impact<\/p>\n
New Hawks coach Jeff Blashill\u2019s impact on the team is another thing Chelios is eager to see this season.<\/p>\n
Chelios and Blashill know each other well \u2014 as is the case when it comes to Chelios and pretty much anyone relevant in the hockey world, or the world at large. They coached together for three years on Grand Rapids\u2019 staff in the AHL in the mid-2010s.<\/p>\n
“[Jeff is] fair,\u201d Chelios said. \u201cHe\u2019s a good judge of accountability. He speaks well to players. He\u2019s very respectful, and the players respect that.\u201d<\/p>\n
Chelios asserted there will be no repeats of the Taylor Hall-Luke Richardson spat last November, when Richardson didn\u2019t give Hall any negative feedback before abruptly scratching him and Hall complained to the press.<\/p>\n
“[Jeff will] let you know where you stand,\u201d Chelios added. \u201cIf you\u2019re struggling, he\u2019s going to call you in. There will be no blindsiding.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe knows his players. [It\u2019s like being] a parent. I\u2019ve got four kids, and two of them are different than the other two. Some of them you can give more of a kick in the behind. Other ones, you\u2019ve got to pump their tires. Each kid is different; each player is different. I think Blash understands that. [He knows] when he needs to be tough, and when he needs to lay off and give them some confidence.\u201d<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n ![\"Jeff](\"https:\/\/cst.brightspotcdn.com\/dims4\/default\/74affdf\/2147483647\/strip\/true\/crop\/3000x2000+0+0\/resize\/840x560!\/quality\/90\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F3c%2F1d%2F879e9e584dbf9064157d82d8e0e1%2Fblashill.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
Chelios previously worked with Jeff Blashill in the Red Wings organization.<\/p>\n
Paul Sancya\/AP file photo<\/p>\n
Chelios figures that approach could be especially beneficial for star forward Connor Bedard in his third NHL season.<\/p>\n
\u201cBedard is going to need to learn a little bit, and \u2018Blash\u2019 is the perfect guy [to teach him],\u201d he said. \u201cHe needs help, too, and more depth \u2014 to free him up from being against the top defensemen and the top line game-in and game-out.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s a focused kid. [His struggles will] never be from lack of effort. But he\u2019s going to have to learn it\u2019s not all about points and scoring.\u201d<\/p>\n
Bedard\u2019s situation actually reminds Chelios of Steve Yzerman\u2019s evolution with the Wings in the 90s \u2014 a flattering comparison to make, regardless of the context.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen Scotty Bowman got there and turned [Yzerman\u2019s] game around, he became one of the best two-way centermen in the league,\u201d Chelios added. “[Bedard] is kind of in that same boat right now. He\u2019ll buy in; he has to.\u201d<\/p>\n
More Hawks thoughts<\/p>\n
The era of hockey Chelios grew up in undoubtedly influences his perspective, but he would like to see the Hawks\u2019 young generation develop a little more toughness and meanness.<\/p>\n
That\u2019s one reason why, when looking at the Hawks\u2019 massive prospect pool, Chelios feels particularly excited about the potential of collegiate center Sacha Boisvert, whose boxing background adds a unique element to his hockey skills. Chelios believes Boisvert, who transferred to Boston University this summer, is \u201cexactly like what the Hawks might need.\u201d<\/p>\n
Within the Hawks\u2019 ultra-young defensive corps, meanwhile, Chelios is still \u201clooking for that guy to be the next [Brent] Seabrook.\u201d<\/p>\n
Unrelated to Chelios, it is interesting that young defenseman Wyatt Kaiser remains a restricted free agent less than three weeks out from the start of training camp.<\/p>\n
It still seems likely a Kaiser contract will be worked out before camp, but it\u2019s notable he\u2019s one of the last eight remaining RFAs around the league.<\/p>\n