Morning Notes: Chelios, Pacioretty, Forbes

Chris Chelios has left the Detroit Red Wings organization almost two decades, deciding to move back to Chicago and be closer to his family. Chelios has served in several different roles for the club since retiring from his playing career, but will now take a step back from the NHL life. He released a long statement, including this thank you to Red Wings fans:

To the fans in Detroit – I want to say thank you. You embraced me from day one. My experience in Detroit was a lot of fun and we definitely had some unforgettable times together. Just know that I won’t be a stranger. I plan on visiting the area whenever I can, especially now that my son, Jake, is playing in the Wings organization.

Jake Chelios was signed by the team earlier this offseason to play for the Grand Rapids Griffins, meaning there will still be a thread of the Hall of Fame defenseman in the organization. Though Jake isn’t expected to make a huge impact for the Red Wings, he’ll try to follow his father’s footsteps and bring a title to the organization—even if it’s a Calder Cup.

• Max Pacioretty has been in the rumor mill for quite some time, and in his latest mailbag for NHL.com Dan Rosen explains why he thinks the Montreal Canadiens’ captain will be traded before the season. An extension continues to be the sticking point when it comes to Pacioretty, as the Canadiens or any acquiring team wants him locked up long-term. That may not be in the best interest of the player though, who is just a year away from unrestricted free agency and coming off one of the worst seasons of his career. Waiting to see if he can bounce back and become the 30-goal man he was consistently in the past would certainly improve his market next summer.
• A grand total of zero NHL franchises made it onto Forbes’ top-50 most valuable organizations this year, with the Dallas Cowboys coming out on top with a $4.8B value. The Cleveland Browns bring up the rear at #50 with a $1.95B value, ahead of the New York Rangers’ $1.5B valuation late last year. While this doesn’t necessarily indicate any troubles for the NHL, it does show just how far behind the league is still compared with some of the other sports leagues in the world. The NFL, NBA and MLB all have teams in the top-10, while several soccer clubs from around the world find themselves near the top.