'08-'09 Season Review - Brent Seabrook
by Killion on Jun 4, 2009 10:58 AM CDT
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PrintWith the season now over after a return to the playoffs and the Western Conference Finals, we're looking back at each player who wore the Indian Head sweater for the 08-09 Season and grading their performance. Next up, Brent Seabrook.
Brent Seabrook
#7 / Defenseman / Chicago Blackhawks
6-3
220
Apr 20, 1985
Contract Status: Signed thru '10-'11
Cap Hit: 3.5 Million
The Good: Count Seabrook as one of the many big surprises of this year. We knew he was good but more than a few people thought he was overrated. The most common criticism being that playing alongside Keith made him look better than he actually was - which is a fair enough assessment (though hard to actually prove).
Until this year that is.
Biscuit focused much more on being a shutdown defender this year - his points dropped to his lowest levels in his NHL career (only 18) but his +/- jumped up to 23 (13 being his previous high from last year). Of all defenders in the NHL, only Lidstrom played against higher quality of competition for the year (according to Behind The Net). Despite being out there against the best other teams could offer Seabrook also had one of the best CORSI ratings of any blue liner.
Seabrook suddenly became a machine right when the Hawks needed him most. On Jan. 14th - Keith suffered a concussion after being nailed by Drew Stafford's elbow and Seabrook suddenly realized that he is more than capable of hitting anything that comes close to him and that it's very hard for most people to play the puck when they're laying flat on the ice. Seabrook lead the team with 224 recorded hits, which is 57 more than his previous high. Only Brooks "Free Candy" Orpik had more for a defender this year.
Seabrook was also good enough to put up big numbers for Mirtle's fictional Rod Langway award potentially awarded to the best defensive defenseman - I still say he was robbed on not getting this make-believe award.
The Bad: There isn't much here. Seabrook can still get lost and get caught out of position at times. He'll struggle against quicker forwards entering the zone or down low - Keith can bail him out occasionaly due to his speed but it's something Seabrook should work on.
He was also tied for the most interference calls in the league - but who knows how many of those were "good" penalties?
Nicknames: Seabs, Biscuit
Playoff Beard Strenght: Pretty high. Biscuit definitely had one of the better beards on the team but almost more importantly this is the look he's currently rocking - I guess he's not quite ready to let go of the facial hair... that or he lost a bet.
Related Photoshops:
via farm4.static.flickr.com (mjthor) - and still no explanation on those stupid wigs
The Grade: While this is ultimately up to all of you - I certainly have no problem giving Biscuit the first A of our season reviews.
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Absolutely an 'A'
Seabs really impressed me this year and toward the end of the season I thought there were many times he played better than Dunc. He’s been hitting everything that moves while minimizing positional mistakes. When Dunc was out he raised his game and kept it at that level making them one of the toughest D pairs in the league.
My goal? World domination.
Only criticism I could possibily have of Seabrook as that he seems to have questionable positioning and/or puck control at the point or on the blue line at times (and not so often that it is a huge problem). Seemed like at least once a game I was thinking “what the hell” when the puck would get out of the zone over his stick or just out of his reach. Though that also seems to be a common theme amongst Hawks defenders overall.
Overall I’d give him an A. Huge improvements in his game this year.
by runningquicklynowhere on Jun 4, 2009 12:36 PM CDT reply actions
A-
like the others have said, he just needs to tighten up his positioning.
season highlight
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SD25FP1fdoc
Most definitely
I giggle every time I watch that.
If I can't be a good example, I'll just be a horrible warning
A for his play
D on that mustache he’s sporting now. That thing is ridiculous.
That ball hit deep! Way back! You can put it on the boooaaaard...YES!
Long drive into deep right center field! This ball is OUTTA HEEERRRREE!
R.I.P. Harry Kalas 4-13-09
Ridiculously Awesome!
That thing is hilarious!
Seabrook is very solid
Is he great? No. Will he ever enter the realm of truly elite defensive men in the NHL? No. Is he a big asset on the Hawks? You darn right he is. Does he benefit greatly from the pairing with Duncan Keith? Absolutely. He gets an A- or B+ in my view.
You mean, let me understand this cause, ya know maybe it's me, I'm a little messed up maybe, but I'm funny how, I mean funny like I'm a clown, I amuse you? I make you laugh, I'm here to amuse you? What do you mean funny, funny how? How am I funny?
I feel like ol' Brent turned into a man before our very eyes this year.
I mean this was the year when, finally, all that acne finally turned into grit and gruel. The dude got hard, but not in a gay way, fortunately for Huet and the Hawks PR crew. That he ended the year in a porn stache just demonstrated the growth he experienced as a hockey player this year. Duncan Keith could have worn that stache in November. But when May came around, only Seabs could rock the handlebars at Four Treys without coming off as an ironic yupster piece of shit.
Got more soul than a sock with a hole.
Forget the stache'...
Look at those socks! Jonny T is the only one with enough sense to wear real WHITE SOX! Yeah I used to be a Cub fan that has totally changed alliance when I moved southside. I am not a (Cub) hater so don’t think I am all about the Sox, but how can you beat buying tickets for the upper-deck and then moving down to the sportsbar on the right field warning track that only White Sox fans seem to know about. Its the equivalent of getting 300 level seats and then walking down and standing behind Khabby. Wow… I did it… I talked about baseball on the best hockey site ever!
Victim was found murdered by a Chelsea Dagger.
A For sure
for sure one of the strongest guys on the Hawks,but why doesnt he hit more?In the playoffs he was knockin the shit out of everybody.Love how he stands up for Keith and the goalies.
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