Blackhawks sign Brent Seabrook to a 8 yr extension ($6.85mil AAV)

[sureLoss]

Chris Kuc @ChrisKuc
Source: #Blackhawks closing in on a long-term contract extension with defenseman Brent Seabrook.

Will be interesting to see how the fit everyone in going forward

[Hackey]

Gonna be pricey I assume. Definitely a big piece of that team though.

[Rejean31]

But wait...many Oiler fans assured me it would only be a matter of time until he was patrolling the Oilers blue line. Wrong again!!!

[JiriHrdina]

He's already at 5.8 in terms of cap hit, so let's assume he makes 7.5 - it's only adding another 1.7 to the cap hit. You do wonder though how the heck they will have enough cap to surround the big 4 with enough support.

[JiriHrdina]

Keith's cap hit is only 5.5. Unreal deal. Seabrook actually has a higher cap hit already.
Keith makes
7.5
6
5
4.5
3.5

Over the remaining years of his deal, including this one. So is Seabrook going to be more highly paid, in cap hit and real dollars than Keith?

[Stay Golden]

Hawks get it done so Oiler fans will be stopped dead in their tracks about luring Seabrook there.

[sharkov]

at least the oilers and the Canucks can't sign him

[thefoss1957]

Seabrook has had a good 'Hawk career, so far, but, has been inconsistent in performance, really synergistic when paired with Keith, his play falls off noticeably, when paired with somebody else. If his price isn't cap friendly, I could see the 'Hawks shopping him.

[GullFoss]

Seabrook must be close to 29 now. So this could be his sunset deal...taking him to age 35 or 36. If so...it could look a lot like kieths

[SportsJunky]

I was listening to a Chicago beat writer being interviewed about Seabrook. He said Seabrook is the real leader on the team. The team tends to follow his direction and he is the best guy in the dressing room. Surprising.

[Benched]

I was listening to a Chicago beat writer being interviewed about Seabrook. He said Seabrook is the real leader on the team. The team tends to follow his direction and he is the best guy in the dressing room. Surprising.

Over toews? Doubtful.

[Jay Random]

Over toews? Doubtful.

If the beat writer said Toews was the real leader, he'd have nothing to talk about, because everybody already knows that. When he names somebody else, he gets to look like a big shot with Sooper Sekrit inside information. It's an easier way to justify his paycheque than, you know, actually finding stuff to report.

I'm sure Seabrook is an important part of the leadership group, but I'm guessing there are valid reasons why he is not wearing the C.

[CliffFletcher]

Over toews? Doubtful.

Toews doesn't strike me as an especially extroverted guy. I could easily see Seabrook as the vocal leader in the room, while Toews leads by example on the ice.

[Benched]

Oh I'm sure Seabrook is a leader, and yes I can for sure see him being one of the vocal guys in the room. But 'the real leader on the team' seems like a super stretch.


PS. Captain serious too serious to say something? Watching highlights and hearing stories from the Olympic locker room on Team Canada....he was vocal there. And if he's not intimidated in that setting...

[CroFlames]

Oh I'm sure Seabrook is a leader, and yes I can for sure see him being one of the vocal guys in the room. But 'the real leader on the team' seems like a super stretch.


PS. Captain serious too serious to say something? Watching highlights and hearing stories from the Olympic locker room on Team Canada....he was vocal there. And if he's not intimidated in that setting...

I remember there was a story that when Crosby was selected to be captain in 2014, he phoned Toews to ask if that was OK by him. The story was confirmed by both players.

I think that Crosby knows Toews well enough to know he is nothing but leadership. Hence the phone call.

PS: I love how Hockey player-esque that whole story is btw. I love how in our sport, the greats deflect praise, and always attribute success to the team. Pro hockey has a unique identity which i really like.

[Flash Walken]

If the beat writer said Toews was the real leader, he'd have nothing to talk about, because everybody already knows that. When he names somebody else, he gets to look like a big shot with Sooper Sekrit inside information. It's an easier way to justify his paycheque than, you know, actually finding stuff to report.

I'm sure Seabrook is an important part of the leadership group, but I'm guessing there are valid reasons why he is not wearing the C.

If you ask Toews, he will tell you Seabrook is the voice of balance and calmness that helps 'Captain Serious' stay loose.

[Enoch Root]

Seabrook is obviously a very good player and seems to be a leader. But I also think his value is significantly overstated due to his team and partner.

I would love to see the Oilers or Canucks massively overpay for him, only to discover that without Keith beside him and one of the best collections of forwards in front of him, that he isn't all that.

[Burke Salad]

I remember near the beginning of the gold medal game in Sochi, Toews barking at Crosby to lets "frigging" go over and over right at Crosby.

[Erick Estrada]

IMO he's kind of an underappreciated defenseman. Not as flashy as Keith but more of a meat and potatoes type of defenseman. You could do much worse than sign Seabrook to a $6-7 million a season deal and looking around the league quite a few teams have done just that. IMO without him the Hawks don't win another cup with that core of players.

[GranteedEV]

Seabrook/Giordano were a great pairing during last year's all star game. They were properly shutting everybody down while all the other pairings were getting torched :D

[Jay Random]

If you ask Toews, he will tell you Seabrook is the voice of balance and calmness that helps 'Captain Serious' stay loose.

That sounds about right. Which is not at all the same thing as Seabrook being ‘the real leader’.

[GoinAllTheWay]

If you ask Toews, he will tell you Seabrook is the voice of balance and calmness that helps 'Captain Serious' stay loose.

I'm not surprised at all by this. I recall watching the playoffs a couple years back. I think Chicago was playing the Bruins. Chicago was down by a goal mid 3rd period. Toews was coming unglued for some reason and kept taking bad penalties. Almost certain it was Seabrook that skated over to the penalty box and talked to Toews for a few mins. He calmed down right after that and the Hawks wind up scoring something like 2 goals with only minutes left to win.

[Zach]

He's just a solid D Man. Nothing flashy but he can be counted on.

[Flash Walken]

I'm not surprised at all by this. I recall watching the playoffs a couple years back. I think Chicago was playing the Bruins. Chicago was down by a goal mid 3rd period. Toews was coming unglued for some reason and kept taking bad penalties. Almost certain it was Seabrook that skated over to the penalty box and talked to Toews for a few mins. He calmed down right after that and the Hawks wind up scoring something like 2 goals with only minutes left to win.

Toews made an unusual admission after the game, revealing that the Blackhawks’ overtime scoring hero, defenceman Brent Seabrook, had been gently prodding him to regain the goal-scoring touch that he’d had in the regular season and lost in the playoffs.

Just about everyone else was willing to let Toews off the hook because of all the other qualities he brought to the team equation. But on Thursday, Seabrook said he thought Toews needed a pep talk because:

“To be completely honest, I was sick and tired of hearing everybody talk about everything that Johnny is doing right. I mean, he’s got to score goals for us. … It wasn’t about the little things that he does. It wasn’t about his leadership that he brings. I just thought that maybe he needed to start thinking about scoring goals.”

It was a candid, fascinating admission and perked up Thursday’s between-games press gathering.

Seabrook had a similar steadying influence on Toews two rounds ago, when Toews was being frustrated by Henrik Zetterberg’s persistent checking in the series against the Detroit Red Wings and took too many retaliatory penalties as a result. In one memorable scene, captured by the television cameras, Seabrook went to the penalty box, put his arm around Toews and calmed him down.

To get this much truth-telling says a lot about the relationship the Blackhawks’ veterans have with one another – knowing they can challenge each other to be better, but secure in the knowledge it will be taken the right way. Some teams just feel the need to heap false praise upon one another.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/hockey/duhatschek-toews-responds-after-seabrook-challenges-hawks-captain-to-be-better/article12732823/

Sounds like the same kind of impact Conroy and Gelinas had on a certain flames team.

[Strange Brew]

Will be interesting to compare to Gio's deal.

[powderjunkie]

No doubt Keith is the better player and has proven his value on his own, but I find it funny how people think Seabrook is the only one who benefits from their synergy; Keith might not be the same player without Seabrook too.

[thefoss1957]

Powder...what you say is somewhat true, but, subjectively, the dropoff for Seabrook with other partners seems more apparent.

[ricardodw]

what Seabrock does is project a physical presence and does the heavy lifting that allows Keith and Kane and Tervainen be able to get a pass on engaging in the tough spots.

The Flames do not have a Seabrook style 20 minute a game player and Brodie and Russell for example has to do more grinding than they would have to if all the sudden Engelland developed Seabrook skills.

[Hackey]

All of a sudden Engelland develops Searook skills sounds nice.

[getbak]

Wow. Big term and money...

Elliotte Friedman ‏@FriedgeHNIC

Seabrook is eight years at approximately a $6.85M AAV. Good for him, he earned it.

[Jacks]

That's a big commitment to a 30 year old.

[transplant99]

Pretty much the Gio contract plus 2 years.

Good deal for him though, very good player.

[Jacks]

2 years longer than Gio, and he's already got 763 games on his odometer.

[transplant99]

2 years longer than Gio, and he's already got 763 games on his odometer.

875 when you include playoffs.

[Enoch Root]

Seabrook has earned that deal, and the AAV isn't higher than one would have expected.

However, the comparisons to Giordano are unavoidable, as the AAV is similar and they will both be 38 in the final season of the deal.

I am far more confident about Giordano's level of play in the last couple years of the deal than I am about Seabrook.

Significantly.

[sureLoss]

Lots of speculation now that the Jets won't be able to re-sign Byfuglien based on the numbers Seabrook got and what he can get on the free agent market.

Trouba is coming off his ELC and likely warrants a better contract than Klefbom.

Schiefele also coming off his ELC.

Ladd UFA.

[getbak]

Lots of speculation now that the Jets won't be able to re-sign Byfuglien based on the numbers Seabrook got and what he can get on the free agent market.

Trouba is coming off his ELC and likely warrants a better contract than Klefbom.

Schiefele also coming off his ELC.

Ladd UFA.
Another reason to be happy to have Gio, Brodie, and Hamilton all locked up for a minimum of five seasons each.

[activeStick]

I pray that neither the Canucks or the Oilers get Byfuglien.

[Fire of the Phoenix]

I pray that neither the Canucks or the Oilers get Byfuglien.
Oilers won't have the cap space to sign Byfuglien to a massive deal, not if they're planning for McDavid and Nurse properly.

Could totally see him going to Vancouver if Byfuglien is ok with playing for a bad team.

[Hackey]

More term than you would like but that's what you need to do to get these guy's signed. Cap hit is alright for now. Those later years I guess time will tell. Can't let a guy like this walk though.

[sureLoss]

Without adjusting for inflation and assuming they both play out their remaining contracts, it looks like Seabrook ($96.827 mil) will end up with more $ than Keith (~$78 mil) based on NHL career salary earnings.

[dustygoon]

Ranking that incredible list of blueliners from 2003...

Weber #49
Seabrook #14
Burns #20
Suter #7
Byfuglien #245
Coburn #8
Phaneuf #9
Hejda #106

[Enoch Root]

I would move Suter up to 2nd, but otherwise agree

[blender]

Going back to the discussion about what Seabrook brings, I recall a couple of season's ago in the first round vs the Blues and the series could go either way and Seabrook destroys Backes coming out from behind the net; illegal hit and Seabrook got suspended, but the Blues folded and the series belonged to the Hawks after that. Like it or not, Seabrook embodies the mentality that playoff hockey is war.

[Strange Brew]

Big fat juicy contract. But the guy has been a critical player on a modern day dynasty so of course he is going to get paid. Keith's great value helps the Hawks in this case. The combined cap hit on those two defenseman is overall a steal for the Hawks. Until Keith gets a new deal.

Money about the same as Gio. A far more accomplished player than Gio but their roles and are different and their teams are in far different situations. Doesn't really make Gio's deal look good or bad by comparison.

[Da_Chief]

Ranking that incredible list of blueliners from 2003...

Weber #49
Suter #7
Burns #20
Seabrook #14
Byfuglien #245
Enstrom #239
Phaneuf #9
Carle #47
Klein #37
Coburn #8
Methot #168
Hejda #106
Quincey #132

Added few guys you missed and re-arranged the list.