Reg Chelios or Chris Dunlop-- You Decide

Tyler McKenna over at NHL Digest had an idea and he Twitter'd dat:

The #Habs need a Defense coach now & Chelios was let go by the #RedWings - How about player/coach Chris "Reggie Dunlop" Chelios?

Now, how far-fetched is that?? Are we at the point where we have guy who are not going to give up, so we may as well give them a coaching spot in the process to ease them into the transition of the post-playing life?? Now, Tyler said that he's joking, but at the same time-- I believe this to be a very true possibility. In fact, Chris Chelios actually created the thought of a coach behind the bench instead of on the ice when hockey first started.....true story (to steal an O&A bit; Linger Longer).

Of course, if Chelios can still play; it's not a bad idea to have him in an increased role on the team and teach some of the younger kids the small nuances of the games and position, as well as tell them about how the phonograph became so popular and how he doesn't get this new fangled iPod stuff......okay, a reach. Anyway-- you sign the guy to the league minimum and you can utilize him as a player or as a coach when/if he's injured or too tired to play.

Granted, if you're the head coach of any team, you don't want to see this. That's an awkward position to be put into as a coach to say to a guy that he's not good enough to play, but how about you stand beside me on the bench and watch the guy who is taking your spot do better than you. It seems like putting salt in the wound to make this guy watch the man taking his spot. Think of the tension that it could create through the lockerroom if that were to happen. Although, you never know if Chelios has resigned to the fact he's not going to be able to keep up with the speed of the league and may have to take this option to play some rather than none at all; though I doubt his pride will let him do that until it's the last ditch effort.

This has been able to work before in the lower-minor leagues, but I doubt it would fly in the NHL. However, if there's ever one guy to do it-- it will probably be Chris Chelios. The last player-coach in the NHL was yet another seasoned defenseman, Doug Harvey-- so history could be kind to Chelios. Yet, like Tyler-- I doubt any of this will happen, but it may be nice to see someone carry on the Reg Dunlop tradition for a new generation that may only know the "Slap Shot" heritage for the Hanson Brothers, Stephen Baldwin, and awfulness.