Brent Seabrook

Growing up in Tsawwassen, British Columbia,[1] Seabrook played minor hockey with the South Delta Minor Hockey Association.[2] He also played spring hockey with the Pacific Vipers, along with three future Chicago Blackhawks teammates, Colin Fraser, Troy Brouwer and Andrew Ladd.[3] He went on to play major junior in the Western Hockey League (WHL) with the Lethbridge Hurricanes, who drafted by him in the first round of the 2000 WHL Bantam Draft.[4][5] Seabrook played with future Chicago Blackhawks teammate Kris Versteeg for three seasons in Lethbridge. After a 42-point season in 2002–03 with the Hurricanes, Seabrook was drafted 14th overall by the Chicago Blackhawks in the 2003 NHL Entry Draft.

Seabrook made his professional debut after completing his fourth and final WHL season, being assigned to the Norfolk Admirals, the Blackhawks' American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, for the final three games of the regular season and six post-season games. Seabrook cracked the Blackhawks' line-up his first year out of junior in 2005–06 and recorded five goals and 32 points as a rookie. In his third NHL season, in 2007–08, Seabrook matched his rookie total with 32 points while tallying a personal-best nine goals. He began the season on the top-defensive pairing with Duncan Keith.[6]

The following season, Seabrook became an integral part of a young and rejuvenated Blackhawks team that made the Stanley Cup playoffs for the first time in seven years the following season in 2009. He scored 11 points in 17 post-season games as the Blackhawks made it to the Western Conference Finals, where they were defeated by the Detroit Red Wings. On March 17, 2010, Seabrook was knocked out by a high hit from James Wisniewski, a former teammate. Seabrook missed the next two games, while Wisniewski was ultimately suspended for eight games.[7] On June 9, 2010, the Blackhawks won the Stanley Cup after defeating the Philadelphia Flyers 4–3 in overtime.

Seabrook with the Blackhawks on February 18, 2011, several days before he signed a five-year extension with the team

On February 27, 2011, the Blackhawks signed Seabrook to a five-year, $29 million contract extension.[8]

On May 29, 2013, Seabrook scored the Game 7 overtime winner against the Detroit Red Wings in the Western Conference Semi-finals, advancing Chicago to the Western Conference Final.[9] During the Finals, on June 19, Seabrook scored the overtime winner against the Boston Bruins in Game 4 of the series. Seabrook won his second Stanley Cup as the Blackhawks beat the Bruins in six games.

During the first round of the 2014 playoffs, Seabrook delivered a high-hit to David Backes of the St. Louis Blues. Backes was forced to leave the game and Seabrook was assessed a match penalty. The Department of Player Safety reviewed the hit and suspended Seabrook for three games.[10]

On September 17, 2015, the Blackhawks named Seabrook as an alternate captain.[11] On September 26, 2015, the Blackhawks signed Seabrook to an eight-year, $55 million contract extension.[12] Seabrook played in his 1,000th NHL game on March 29, 2018, in a game against the Winnipeg Jets.[13]

On December 11, 2018, Seabrook and teammate Duncan Keith became the first pair of defencemen, and the seventh duo in NHL history to play 1,000 games together.[14][15][16]

On December 26, 2019, the Blackhawks placed Seabrook on long-term injured reserve after announcing he would require three separate surgical operations to repair his right shoulder and both hips.[17] Seabrook missed the remainder of the 2019–20 season. He returned to practice with the team in July to prepare for the 2020 Stanley Cup playoffs, which had been postponed to August due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Seabrook opted out of the playoffs on July 24 to focus on fully recovering from his surgery.[18]

Seabrook intended to rejoin the Blackhawks prior to the 2020–21 season, but injured his back days before team's pre-season training camp. He was placed on injured reserve to start the season.[19] On March 5, 2021, Seabrook announced he could no longer continue his playing career in the NHL due to injury.[20] Seabrook intends on formally retiring after his current contract expires after the 2023–24 NHL season.[21] On July 27, 2021, the Blackhawks traded Seabrook's contract to the Tampa Bay Lightning in exchange for Tyler Johnson and a second-round draft pick in 2023.[22][23]

Seabrook played in 1,114 regular season games over 15 seasons in the NHL, where he recorded 103 goals and 361 assists.[24] Stan Bowman, the Blackhawks' president of hockey operations, reflected on Seabrook's contributions, stating, "Without Brent Seabrook, the Chicago Blackhawks would not have three Stanley Cups. He concludes his career as not only one of the best defensemen in franchise history, but one the greatest Chicago Blackhawks of all time."[20]