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Blackhawks’ Seabrook to return in 5-6 months after latest surgery

By Adam GretzFeb 6, 2020, 4:49 PM EST
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The Chicago Blackhawks announced that veteran defenseman Brent Seabrook underwent successful hip surgery on Thursday and that he will be ready to return in five-to-six months. That would put him on a timeline to be ready for the start of training camp for the 2020-21 season.

His most recent surgery was his third — both hips, shoulder — over the past six weeks.

He has not played since Dec. 15, while the team announced a couple of weeks later that both he and Calvin de Haan (shoulder injury) would both be out for the season. He appeared in 32 games this season, scoring three goals with one assist.

Blackhawks’ long-term outlook on defense

What Seabrook’s role will look like next season remains to be seen. His play has not only rapidly declined the past few years, but he will be coming off of three major surgeries and be 35 years old when the season begins.

Seabrook still has four more years remaining on a contract that carries a salary cap hit of $6.875 million per season.

The Blackhawks have managed to hang around in the playoff race and play their way back into contention but still have some major flaws and question marks defensively and remain one of the league’s worst teams at preventing shots and scoring chances. The goaltending duo of Robin Lehner and Corey Crawford has helped mask that, but both are free agents after this season and remains to be seen if either one of them will be back next season.

The Blackhawks tried to revamp their defense this offseason with the additions of de Haan and Olli Maatta, but it has not really worked. Almost everyone currently on the defense is signed long-term.

Seabrook, Maatta, de Haan, Connor Murphy and Duncan Keith are all signed for at least the next two full seasons (Seabrook and Keith beyond), while rookie Adam Boqvist remains on his entry-level deal.

Erik Gustafsson, their most productive defenseman offensively over the past two seasons, is an unrestricted free agent after this season.

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Adam Gretz is a writer for Pro Hockey Talk on NBC Sports. Drop him a line at phtblog@nbcsports.com or follow him on Twitter @AGretz.

The Buzzer: Kreider improves trade value; McAvoy pushes Bruins past Blackhawks in OT

Mika Zibanejad #93 and Chris Kreider #20 of the New York Rangers celebrate
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By Scott CharlesFeb 6, 2020, 12:35 AM EST
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Three Stars

1) Chris Kreider, New York Rangers

The power forward tallied a goal and an assist in the Rangers’ 5-3 win against the Toronto Maple Leafs. He won a faceoff shortly before Mika Zibanejad wired a wrist shot past Michael Hutchinson late in the first period. Then, just six seconds later, Kreider held off Leafs defenseman Justin Holl and converted on a breakaway. The winger is one of the top players available at the NHL trade deadline and performances like this are only driving up the cost. For Rangers general manager Jeff Gorton, it was a sign of relief to see Kreider rebound in a strong way after missing the previous game with an upper-body injury.

2) Charlie McAvoy, Boston Bruins

It’s a little late to get your first goal of the season but McAvoy was rewarded Wednesday. The steady defenseman charged up ice and raced to the net during the overtime session before tapping in a perfectly-placed pass from Jake DeBrusk to propel the Bruins to a 2-1 overtime victory against the Chicago Blackhawks. The Long Island native beat Jonathan Toews in a foot race to the left of Jaroslav Halak, then skated the length of the ice to complete the play. Blackhawks defenseman Connor Murphy got caught in a traffic jam at the blueline and was unable to keep pace with McAvoy.

3) Auston Matthews, Toronto Maple Leafs

It is hard to imagine that David Pastrnak has fallen to third on the NHL goals list this season, but Matthews’ consistent play has helped him climb into second place, for the time being. Matthews scored twice in the Leafs’ loss but is one tally short of reaching the 40-goal mark for the second time in his NHL career. The alternate captain netted a neat backhand and hammered a one-timer when John Tavares delivered a precise cross-ice pass. Toronto has been better since Sheldon Keefe took over behind the bench, but the Eastern Conference playoff race is tightening up real quick and the Maple Leafs cannot afford to miss out on points against below average teams.

Highlights of the Night

Mika Zibanejad and Kreider scored within six seconds of each other to give the Rangers a two-goal advantage near the end of the first period.

David Krejci thought he had an easy goal until Robin Lehner made a ridiculous diving save.

Stat of the Night

Injury News

  • Adam Boqvist went to the locker room midway through the second period after Krejci delivered a nasty check from behind. Blackhawks head coach Jeremy Colliton mentioned he doesn’t think the injury is “anything super serious.”

Scores

New York Rangers 5, Toronto Maple Leafs 3

Boston Bruins 2, Chicago Blackhawks 1 (OT)

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Scott Charles is a writer for Pro Hockey Talk on NBC Sports. Drop him a line at phtblog@nbcsports.com or follow him on Twitter @ScottMCharles.

Matt Dumba, Kevin Fiala lead Wild past Blackhawks in OT

By Scott CharlesFeb 4, 2020, 11:48 PM EST
1 Comment

The Stanley Cup Playoffs were a long shot for both the Chicago Blackhawks and Minnesota Wild entering Tuesday. Matt Dumba helped Minnesota’s cause with the overtime winner as the Wild gained a critical two points.

Kevin Fiala scored twice as the Wild picked up their fourth win in six games. Alex Stalock added 27 saves.

Olli Maatta’s third-period equalizer allowed Chicago to earn one point in the tough overtime loss. Adam Boqvist also scored and Corey Crawford made 31 saves as the Blackhawks lost for only the second time in the previous eight games. Patrick Kane’s 12-game point streak was snapped

Can Dumba get going?

The Wild were hoping Dumba was ready to take a quantum leap and become one of the more dynamic defensemen throughout the league when they entered the season.

Dumba needed surgery in December of 2018 to repair a ruptured right pectoralis which caused him to miss the remainder of last season. Despite starting the season on the active roster, the road to a full recovery has been slower than expected.

The 25-year-old converted a slick forehand-backhand-forehand deke as he scored his fourth of the season to propel Minnesota in overtime.

Dumba’s value will be an interesting topic as the deadline approaches for Bill Guerin and his staff. He has three years remaining on his contract after this season that carries a $6M AAV. Can he return to being a power-play quarterback that regularly tops 40 points in a season? Or has he become an overpaid defenseman that has a reputation for missing time due to injury?

Only time will tell…

Missed opportunity

While the three-point deficit for a spot in the postseason doesn’t seem like a lot the Blackhawks squandered an opportunity.

Leapfrogging teams in the standings has become increasingly difficult with three-point games more prevalent in the NHL. The Blackhawks not only have to jump the Nashville Predators but also have the Winnipeg Jets and Wild ready to surpass them at a moment’s notice.

With only nine games remaining before the NHL trade deadline, Chicago’s front office will have to decide on its buying or selling strategy in the near future.

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Scott Charles is a writer for Pro Hockey Talk on NBC Sports. Drop him a line at phtblog@nbcsports.com or follow him on Twitter @ScottMCharles.

Blackhawks old and new lead rally to beat Red Wings

By James O'BrienJan 5, 2020, 10:18 PM EST
3 Comments

January might seem a little early for “must-win” games, but the Chicago Blackhawks cannot afford to fall to lesser opponents. The Detroit Red Wings managed a 2-0 lead on Sunday, yet Chicago rallied to win 4-2.

Kane delivers as usual for the Blackhawks

Hyping up Red Wings – Blackhawks as a battle of two teams trying to build for the future makes sense.

Sure, Patrick Kane leads the way for Chicago. Kane remains far-and-away the driving force of the Blackhawks’ offense, generating his 54th point of the season when he assisted on the first goal of Dylan Sikura‘s NHL career:

But as dominant as Kane is in the present, youngsters drove both sides’ successes.

Red Wings, Blackhawks can look on bright spots for future

First, Filip Zadina scored the 1-0 power-play goal. The sixth pick of the 2018 NHL Draft — who many picked to go fourth or even third instead — stumbled a bit during his development, including dealing with injuries. Shots like that goal remind that he has plenty of time to succeed, and Zadina is delivering reasonably overall, generating 10 points in 18 games so far this season.

Fresh faces paced the Blackhawks’ comeback, too.

Two Dylans scored in just 45 seconds during the second period. Dylan Strome (third in 2015) continues to be a nice point-producer for Chicago, collecting the 2-1 tally. Then, it was that Dylan Sikura goal. Promising defenseman Adam Boqvist (eighth in 2018) ended up producing the game-winner, his second goal of 2019-20.

The sexier Dominik Kubalik goal could have happened after Duncan Keith sprung him for a breakaway, but Jimmy Howard narrowly avoided that with a save. Kubalik instead scored an empty-netter, giving him 12 on the season, second among all rookies.

Sports fans love to imagine potential magically turning into production, but that doesn’t always work out. Sikura, for example, took 44 games to score his first NHL goal.

Still, if a few of the Kubaliks, Stromes, and Zadinas work out, both franchises might be able to wiggle out of these post-dynasty stupors.

The Blackhawks made sure that there’s at least a slight chance that they might end their playoff drought in 2019-20 by not losing to a Red Wings team that, scrappy or not, can’t seem to protect a lead. Sunday represents what they hope is the start of a strong homestand, and playoff push.

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James O’Brien is a writer for Pro Hockey Talk on NBC Sports. Drop him a line at phtblog@nbcsports.com or follow him on Twitter @cyclelikesedins.

Blackhawks moving on without Seabrook, de Haan

Associated PressDec 27, 2019, 3:37 PM EST

CHICAGO — Reality set in for Jonathan Toews when he got to the Chicago Blackhawks’ locker room Friday morning.

Brent Seabrook‘s stall was empty.

”Day 1, pretty much. He’s not around,” Toews said, ”and you notice it right away.”

Seabrook has been ruled out for the rest of the season after years of physical play finally caught up to the steady defenseman, who had right shoulder surgery on Friday. The 34-year-old Seabrook then will have surgery on his right hip in January and left hip in February.

The Blackhawks also will be without Calvin de Haan for the rest of the year. The 28-year-old defenseman had his own right shoulder surgery on Friday.

Seabrook and de Haan were placed on long-term injured reserve, creating significant salary-cap space, but leaving Chicago with a huge void on the back end.

”From the (coaching) perspective, we’re focused on the players we have and find a way to get it done,” coach Jeremy Colliton said. ”But of course those guys are really big parts of the group, both on and off the ice. A lot of leadership and solid, dependable-type players, which, of course, we’re going to miss.”

De Haan was acquired in a June trade with Carolina. He had surgery on the same shoulder last offseason.

Colliton said both defensemen are expected to be ready for training camp next year. But in the meantime, a run of injuries is making it more difficult for last-place Chicago (16-17-6) to work its way into the the playoff race.

Brandon Saad is expected to miss another three weeks after he hurt his right ankle during Chicago’s 4-1 victory at Winnipeg on Dec. 19. Fellow forwards Andrew Shaw and Drake Caggiula are on LTIR due to concussions, though Caggiula has been skating and could return soon. Rookie defenseman Adam Boqvist missed Friday night’s 5-2 victory over the New York Islanders because of a right shoulder injury.

”I don’t manage expectations,” Colliton said. ”We expect to win. We expect to compete, give ourselves a chance with how to we play.”

The 6-foot-3 Seabrook has been a key player and leader for Chicago for more than a decade. He has 103 goals and 361 assists in 1,114 games since his NHL debut in 2005, plus 20 goals and 39 assists in 123 playoff appearances.

He helped the Blackhawks win the Stanley Cup in 2010, 2013 and 2015.

”Such a huge part of our room,” forward Patrick Kane said. ”So hopefully he gets his injuries fixed and comes back better than ever.”

Seabrook was a healthy scratch for the third time this season when Chicago lost 4-1 to Colorado on Dec. 18. The Blackhawks then announced the next day he was undergoing further medical evaluation.

Seabrook, who is under contract through the 2023-24 season at an average annual value of $6,875,000, missed a total of nine games over the previous six seasons.

”He’s battled through these injuries for a long time,” defenseman Duncan Keith said. ”Anybody else, they probably would have been missing a lot more time than that over the course of the last several seasons. It shows the kind of mentality and the type of person that he is.”

Keith and Seabrook have been connected since they entered the league together. Keith, a two-time Norris Trophy winner as the league’s best defenseman, said he has played his best hockey alongside his longtime pal.

”We sit beside each other in every locker room,” Keith said, ”so it’s different, you know, not having him on the bus and things like that. He’s definitely missed, but like I just said, nothing we can do about it now.”