KELLY CHASE

HOCKEY

Born: October 25, 1967; Porcupine Plain, Saskatchewan, Canada
Position: Right Wing
Played For: St. Louis Blues (1991-1995; 1997-2000), Hartford Whalers (1995-1997), Toronto Maple Leafs

By Myron Holtzman

He was rough and tumble on the ice and he brought those attributes, along with a wicked sense of humor and unparalleled storytelling abilities over the radio airwaves.

That’s Kelly Chase, the legendary former St. Louis Blues forward, who transitioned from being one of the league’s most respected enforcers on the ice to bringing his sharp wit and insights to the radio booth as color commentator on Blues’ broadcasts and on sports talk radio.

Born in Porcupine Plain, Saskatchewan, Canada, Chase was undrafted in the National Hockey League, but that didn’t deter him from parlaying his credentials into an NHL career that spanned 12 seasons and 458 games between 1988 and 2000. The majority of his time was spent wearing No. 39 with the Blues, but he also toiled for the Hartford Whalers and Toronto Maple Leafs.

However, “Chaser” wasn’t known as a goal scorer. In those 458 games, he managed just 17 goals and 36 assists for 53 points. His contributions were more physical and pugilistic as pound-for-pound, he carved a niche as one of the toughest players in league history.

Noted for his hard-checking style, the 5-foot-11, 200-pound enforcer was a regular in the penalty box, amassing 355 fighting majors and 2,017 penalty minutes while creating space for his teammates to roam. Along with fellow enforcer and friend Tony Twist, Chase patrolled the ice causing opposing players to give the Blues respect.

But aside from his trademark toughness, Chase was undoubtedly most proud of winning two NHL awards — the King Clancy Memorial Trophy, an annual honor given to the player who best exemplifies leadership qualities on and off the ice while making a noteworthy humanitarian contribution in his community; and the NHL’s Foundation Award, given to the NHL player “who applies the core values of [ice] hockey—commitment, perseverance and teamwork—to enrich the lives of people in his community.” In 2008, he was also presented the Jack Buck Award for his enthusiasm and dedication to sports in St. Louis.

Those awards also serve as a testament to the amazing support he receiving from his fans and colleagues, when Chase learned he had contracted acute myeloid leukemia last year.

Five months after his diagnosis, he shared the ice with his three sons in a charity hockey alumni hockey game featuring many of his closest legendary friends like Brett Hull, Brendan Shanahan, Wayne Gretzky, Garry Unger, Chris Chelios and famed singer-songwriter Garth Brooks which raised more than $400,000 for the late college coach Jim Valvano’s V Foundation for Cancer Research.

After signing with St. Louis as a free agent in 1988, Chase was assigned to Peoria, Ill., where for three seasons he helped mold the farm team (coached by the late Blues legendary defenseman Bobby Plager) into an elite, championship team. During that time, the Rivermen captured the league’s Turner Cup as champions of the International Hockey League.

When called up to the Blues those early seasons, his playing time was limited, but whenever he hit the ice, Chase made the most of his opportunities.

His sense of humor and ability to adapt to the NHL and the community earned him star status in the hearts of teammates and fans alike.

At the end of the 1997-98 season Chase was named recipient of the King Clancy Memorial Trophy for his charity work with the Gateway Special Hockey Program, a program he started in the early 1990s to help those with developmental disabilities participate in organized hockey.

In 1994, Chase helped established and coached the Gateway Locomotives special hockey team. On March 30, 2017, the team was re-named as the St. Louis Blues Special Hockey team.

As a broadcaster, Chase cemented his popularity with the hometown fans, spending 18 seasons as an analyst on Blues’ broadcasts, working alongside play-by-play announcer Chris Kerber. There, his humorous stories and frank critical commentary were classic. Even non-sports fans enjoyed his colorful banter.

So, while Chase certainly earned the reputation as one of the NHL’s premier tough guys, his warm, funny and caring spirit off the ice made him one of the most loved and appreciated St. Louis pro athletes in history.