Once upon a time ago, Brent Seabrook told his body, “Screw off, we are doing this.” That was 15 years ago after 1,114 games in the NHL on the ice in regular season, in a Blackhawks uniform. Add 123 playoff games as well, wearing the Indian sweater. Plus, add the games Seabrook skated for Canada in the Olympics and helping his country win the gold. Most importantly, Brent Seabrook was a big part of the Blackhawks dynasty helping Chicago come back from being one of those sorry arse franchises, the worst in sports. How could I forget the three Stanley Cups he helped win and hoisting the Holy Grail on Chicago soil. The body of Seabrook finally let him know enough is enough, as he is hanging up the skates for good at the age of 35.

Last game, Brent Seabrook played in the NHL, was November of 2019. Seabrook then went through a 3 months period with surgeries to his right shoulder and both hips. It’s the right hip that is preventing him from returning to the ice with a clean bill of health. Seabrook just lasted one day in training camp before this season, as he tweaked his back. Seabrook did 15 seasons as a defenseman in the NHL. Imagine what their bodies go through on a regular basis. Diving in front of pucks like the Secret Service taking a bullet for the President. Pucks at high speeds leaving long lasting marks or welts on the body, some in the shape of a puck. Seabrook told his partner in crime, Duncan Keith, about his decision to hang up the skates for good. Seabrook and Keith have been paired together for years defending their territory, the net, and the President, the goalie, versus the enemy in epic battles during which the Indian head sweater prevailed most of the time. At the end, the surgeries, treatments and the rehab were not enough to get Seabrook back on the ice.

Brent Seabrook will always be remembered as one of the best defensemen to lace up the skates in Blackhawk history. Seabrook was a guy that could play physically. Seabrook played a clean game, but he was strong to stand up for his teammates or himself on the ice. In regular season career-wise, Seabrook had 103 goals while dishing out 361 assists. Solid numbers. Seabrook had a wicked sniper of a slap shot that would find the net in those small creases from the half point of the ice. In the playoffs, Seabrook earned the nickname, Mr. Overtime. In the semifinals in the 2013 game 7 versus the Red Wings, his goal ended Detroit and helped his team move on. Then same year, this time in the Stanley Cup versus the Boston Bruins, who were up 3 games to 1. Seabrook’s overtime goal was key to that series as the Hawks would go on to collect their second Stanley Cup out of the three they won. Seabrook tallied 20 goals in the playoffs with 39 assists.

I always thought the Blackhawks should have kept Niklas Hjalmarsson instead of Brent Seabrook. Hjalmarsson was younger and to this day still playing strong. Seabrook was a great player for the Blackhawks, but lost a few steps year ago and was being paid big money with a no trade clause. Also, getting the production the team should get with that kind of loot. If Seabrook did not retire, the contract would have expired after the 2023-24 season. Now the Blackhawks, who were handcuffed by some of these no trade clause big contracts from the core of the dynasty, have some wiggle room in the future with the salary cap. The worries are now what is going on with the Captain Jonathan Toews and his undisclosed illness or injury. We know Duncan Keith and Patrick Kane are still playing at a high level. This is why they say time flies, because a great team and dynasty shelf life is in dog years. Years which go by with the speed of light. Before this season started, goalie Corey Crawford retired and now Brent Seabrook – two big cogs in that 3 Cup run. When will the Blackhawks win another cup? The last time they won the cup before 2010, was in the 1960’s. This is why we hold on to these guys with our hearts for what they did for the team and the city. These teams don’t come around all the time. It does not matter how big or even the smallest thing they did on the ice, it is special when your team wins. Brent Seabrook will always have that ability to get those free drinks in Chicago any time he returns to the city. Job well done #7.