IN THEIR WORDS: What Brent Seabrook Means to the Blackhawks

Brent Seabrook's contributions on the ice will be missed during his recovery from multiple injuries that ended the Blackhawks defenseman's 2019-20 season, but it is his absence from the dressing room that will leave the biggest void with the team.
No player on the Blackhawks is more revered by his teammates than Seabrook, who has been the heart and soul of the organization since making his NHL debut in 2005. The 34-year-old serves as the Blackhawks' conscience, guidance counselor, cheerleader and mentor.

We asked current and former teammates what makes Seabrook the ultimate teammate.

Dave Bolland (2006-13)

"'Seabs' is for sure the ultimate teammate. You can never get in a fight with him. Sometimes you get sick of a few guys and there's always a little banter back and forth, chirping, but 'Seabs' is just a nice, easy-going guy and it was always fun around him. He always makes sure that people on the team were having fun. If there was a get-together or team party he was always the guy to bring the guys back together and get things going.
"'Seabs' and I roomed together for most of my career with the Hawks. We were pretty tight. We watched a lot of movies together and we ate a lot of desserts together. He had a few extra desserts. I'd take a few bites and he'd finish them."

Adam Burish (2007-10)

"He was the most caring and giving teammate that I ever had. He was the only guy in my career who would make a point to go out of his way to help anybody, whether you're a minor-league call up for one day or you've been there for 10 years or you're the assistant equipment trainer or medical guy. I never played with a guy that was more giving and more caring about anybody. If you want to use his house, if you want to drive his car, have him buy you lunch or dinner, whatever you need, no matter who you were. It was pretty incredible.
"He's doing it because he wants to do it and he cares. When some of your best players are doing that, that's leadership. Jonathan Toews was certainly the captain of the Blackhawks during their three Stanley Cups but Brent Seabrook was right there with him. I'm sure Jonathan would tell you the same thing, too, that he was as big a part of that leadership group as anybody with the stuff he did in the locker room that people don't get to see and playing 25 minutes, scoring overtime, game-winning goals and also before the game talking to all the guys making sure everybody is ready."

Corey Crawford (2006-present)

"He's great. He just keeps it light (with) a lot of jokes and chirping going on. He's just a fun guy to have around. Teams always have different personalities and a guy like him who is louder and keeps everyone involved is pretty important. He's always saying something, not just to say things but to get guys going or just to lighten the room up if it's feeling tense."

Kirby Dach (2019-present)

"He gave so much to this team throughout so many years and long runs and you can kind of overlook those things because he's so focused on the team more than himself. I think that says a lot about a guy that you don't really hear anything bad about him ever. As a player I think the biggest thing when you're done playing is how your teammates are going to remember you and Brent is going to obviously be remembered as a great hockey player but an even better teammate and friend.
"(It's) just his selflessness. He does everything for the team. He always puts himself last. Even as a rookie you kind of notice the things that he does off the ice that not only help out the players but with the training staff, medical staff and our team services people. He seems to make everybody's job a little bit easier and always tries to help everyone out."

Marian Hossa (2009-17)

"He was great in the dressing room. He was loud and was raising all the spirits when the team wasn't going well. There are lots of guys who joke around, but when the team wasn't going well he was still doing the same thing cheering up guys. Usually when a guy is struggling he's quiet but whether you were down or up he was always one of the guys to cheer up the guys in the room. Outside of the room, a super-nice guy, a great family guy.
"He was one of the best teammates I had. I enjoyed every time I came into the dressing room. He made me laugh, you know?"

Patrick Kane (2007-present)

"What he does for this team is above and beyond what anyone could imagine, to be honest with you. He's such a good guy in the room. The aura in the locker room isn't the same when he's not around. He's a huge part of this team. I'm sure if you go up and down the guys here, the guys that have played here in the past and ask who the closest guy on the team was to them I'm sure a lot of them would say 'Seabs.' He's a fun guy to be around, always joking around, always chirping guys. (If) you mess up your words … if 'Seabs' is around, he's going to get on you for it. Nothing ever gets by him. But he's a great teammate, great locker room.
"I just think he's really good at getting to know everyone, including everyone (and) being able to connect with everyone. Obviously, there are a lot of different personalities in the room and guys from different areas of the world and he's able to connect with everyone. He's also a big voice, he's got a lot of experience. He's done some great things here, obviously winning three Stanley Cups, but scoring some huge goals and being a part of some good teams. So, he's done it all, he knows it all and he knows how to project it too."

Duncan Keith (2005-present)

"He's the ultimate team guy. Nobody wants to see the team succeed more than him.
"I think (it's) just all the little intangibles, you know? Just that mentally of doing whatever it takes to win. There's a reason why he hasn't missed many games. He's a leader in this locker room ever since I've been here. He's a leader for a reason: Guys look up to him and follow his lead and that's important to have guys like that in the organization.
"I've always enjoyed playing with him. You look at players that he's played with, he's always been able to kind of straighten their game out in a sense, then it's on to the next guy who needs to have his game calmed down or get back to basics and it always seems like it always goes with Brent. He's a guy that basically gets that guy playing the way he needs to play again and I've always played my best hockey with him over the years."

Patrick Sharp (2005-15; 2017-18)

"When I look back on all the teammates I had in my career, different cities, different organizations, 'Seabs' is the guy who stands out as being the best teammate. He's always looking out for others. He's like that father figure, that big brother in the locker room that's always making sure people are smiling, laughing and feeling a part of it.
"He had a big impact on my career. It's funny, I'm four years older than 'Seabs' and he had a big impact on my career. Coming to Chicago, he would pick me up. He was 18 years old and he picked me up at the hotel a few times, got me to the United Center on time, he had me over for dinner the first night I was here. Those are things that you remember as a young player. It's a tough situation when you're a young guy getting started and to have somebody like 'Seabs' ' big voice in that locker room to look out for you is pretty special."

Jonathan Toews (2007-present)

"I just don't think there's much of an ego there. It's always been like that. When we were winning Stanley Cups and having playoff success over the years, he was probably one of the last guys to get credit for what he was bringing to our team every single night, scoring big goals and overtime goals. Obviously, people talked about that, but you could argue he still didn't really get the lion's share of the credit.
"He's always been one of those guys who does all the little things right, but … what he brings to the locker room and the feel in the locker room, he makes it fun. It's fun to have guys like that around that add to the group and add to the chemistry in the locker room."

Kris Versteeg (2007-10; 2013-15)

"'Seabs' is one of the best teammates I've ever had. When I came over from Boston to the Chicago organization, he was the guy who made the transition easier. Brent has been instrumental to me and a lot of guys. To see the surgeries he's got to do it's just a testament to everything he's given to that city.
"'Seabs' gets along with everyone but the best thing about Brent is he calls a spade a spade. If something on the ice isn't going as planned, he's the guy who is going to call it out. He's vocal, he's not going to sit back and just listen to things and that's what I think I respect about him the most. What players want the most is black and white and even coming from your teammates sometimes you might not like what the guy is going to say but at the end of the day, he wants to win and he speaks the truth. That's the biggest thing I think I will remember about Brent."