UPDATE (3:45 p.m. CT): Brookbank isn’t ready to officially say goodbye yet. However, with the tryout in Calgary and a Blackhawks depth chart that looks increasingly solid, it’s more than likely that it’s simply wishful thinking.
Sheldon Brookbank didn’t entirely rule out return to #Blackhawks: “You never know what could happen from now until the start of the season.”
— Chris Kuc (@ChrisKuc) August 29, 2014
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It appears the two-year relationship between defenseman Sheldon Brookbank and the Chicago Blackhawks has come to an end, as Chris Kuc of the Chicago Tribune reports the journeyman will try out for the Calgary Flames during training camp this fall.
Brookbank, 33, bounced between the third line and the press box after being signed to a two-year, $2.5 million deal during the summer of 2012. He appeared in 74 regular season games with the Hawks over the past two years, recording three goals, eight points and a whole lot of penalty minutes.
The Blackhawks never brought Brookbank in to play a significant role, and it’s a reflection of some good fortune that he was never really needed like that. He played in just eight of 42 postseason games with the team, and was generally just blue line fodder to provide the coaching staff with options.
Given the variety of veterans and young players that will be competing for playing time in Chicago this season, Brookbank was probably best served giving it a go elsewhere. The Blackhawks should be just fine without his services, even if he’s still capable of helping another team.
Brookbank’s time in Chicago wasn’t long or particularly eventful, but he deserved his Stanley Cup ring in 2013 all the same. If you got any particular memories of the defenseman, share them in the comments!
Thanks, Sheldon. Good luck in Calgary.