WKOW 27: Madison, WI Breaking News, Weather and SportsFormer Badgers Chelios, Suter enter U.S. Hockey HOF

MADISON, Wis. -- Former Badger greats Chris Chelios and Gary Suter will be inducted into the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame Monday evening in Chicago, the fifth and six Badgers to be awarded the honor.

Chelios and Suter will be inducted along with Mike "Doc" Emrick, Ed Snider and Keith Tkachuk in a ceremony at the Renaissance Chicago Downtown Hotel.

The pair join four previous Badger inductees in the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame, including "Badger" Bob Johnson (1991), Bob Suter and Mark Johnson (2003 as part of 1980 Olympic Team), Mark Johnson (2004 as an individual) and Mike Richter (2008).

With a professional career spanning 26 seasons, Chris Chelios is the all-time leader in games played by a defenseman in National Hockey League history (1,651). The second-round draft pick (40th overall) in the 1981 NHL Entry Draft of the Montreal Canadiens went on to win three Stanley Cups and three Norris Trophies, along with a silver medal with the U.S. at the 2002 Olympic Gmaes and an NCAA championship with the Badgers in 1983.

Chelios played seven seasons (1983-90) in Montreal, nine in both Chicago (1991-99) and Detroit (1998-2009) and one season in Atlanta (2009-10), amassing a total of 948 points (185-763) to rank 10th all-time among NHL defensemen. The Chicago native played in 11 NHL All-Star Games, representing three different teams.

Additionally, Chelios was a staple in international hockey for more than three decades. He is one of only two male players to represent the United States at four Olympic Winter Games (1984, 1998, 2002, 2006) and captained his final three Olympic squads. He also helped the U.S. defeat Canada to win the 1996 World Cup of Hockey, and represented his country a total of 10 times on the international stage.

"I've always kind of looked at Chris as a big brother in my hockey career," said Suter. "He was a great leader and a great player and I'm glad to be good friends with him."

Chelios was also inducted into the University of Wisconsin Athletics Hall of Fame on Sept. 2.

A two-year member of the Wisconsin hockey program, the defenseman helped the Badgers to the 1983 NCAA Championship as a member of the all-tournament team. Finishing with 22 goals and 75 assists in two seasons at Wisconsin, Chelios would later be named to the American Hockey Coaches Association All-Time West Team, the NCAA's 50th anniversary team in 1997 and the WCHA's top 50 players in 50 years in 2001-02.