Kelly Chase is a St. Louis Blues legend and is known as one of the toughest players ever. But he wore the somewhat unusual jersey number 39. When Chase first told the equipment manager why he wanted the number, he couldn’t believe his ears. The reason? Chase looked up to Brian Skrudland.
Kelly Chase was one of the most feared players in the NHL during his career, known for never backing down from a fight.
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Kelly Chase penalty minutes
During his 11 NHL seasons, Chase played for the St. Louis Blues, Hartford Whalers, and Toronto Maple Leafs. He appeared in 458 games and racked up 2,017 penalty minutes. Throughout his career, Chase wore No. 39 on his back.
On his podcast, Ice Guardians, Chase explained the hilarious reason behind his unusual jersey number choice and revealed how equipment manager Frank Burns reacted when he heard the explanation.
Why Chase wore 39
“First of all, I couldn’t believe I was in the NHL. Then I walked in and got 39. I didn’t care—they could’ve given me 0, I wouldn’t have cared. I got in a fight, and afterward he told me, ‘We’ll get you a better number.’ I said, ‘This is good, I like this number. Brian Skrudland wears it, and I look up to him.’ He goes, ‘Oh, there’s something you’re not gonna fucking hear every day,'” Chase said on the podcast.
Brian Skrudland was a guest on the podcast for that episode and shared his own reaction.
“Thanks, Frankie. And Chaser, let’s be real. I probably wouldn’t have taken the number either, but it was the lowest number available when I joined the Habs in 1986,” Skrudland responded.
You can watch the video below.
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