Hockey Hall of Famer Chris Chelios is among the cuts at ESPN.
The former All-Star defenseman will not have his contract renewed by the Worldwide Leader, according to Front Office Sports.
Chelios’ departure was not due to his performance, per the outlet, but was a casualty of parent company Disney’s mandate to cut 7,000 jobs and $5.5 billion in costs.
The 61-year-old retired from playing after 26 NHL seasons in 2009-10, winning the Norris Trophy as the league’s top defenseman three times and having his name etched on the Stanley Cup thrice.
Chelios joined ESPN’s broadcast roster as a studio analyst in 2016 when the network aired the World Cup of Hockey.
He was also an analyst for Fox Sports 1 and worked in the Red Wings’ front office before joining ESPN in 2021 when the network reacquired the NHL broadcast rights.
Chris Chelios will not have his ESPN contract renewed.ESPNChelios made up the network’s studio team along with former NHLers, including Mark Messier, P.K. Subban, Ray Ferraro, Kevin Weekes and Ryan Callahan.
Chelios joins the likes of longtime ESPN vice president of communications Mike Soltys and executive vice president and GM of ESPN+ Russell Wolff among the company’s initial cuts, with more expected later this month, according to The Post’s Andrew Marchand.
Despite the looming payroll slashing, ESPN splurged on bringing Pat McAfee and his show aboard for a reported five years and $85 million — a move that has some questioning optics.
Several of ESPN’s biggest names are regarded as “untouchable,” with Stephen A. Smith, Scott Van Pelt, Kirk Herbstreit, Mike Greenberg, Adam Schefter, Troy Aikman, Adrian Wojnarowski, Doris Burke, Joe Buck and now McAfee among them.
