Blackhawks defensemen Calvin de Haan and Brent Seabrook will have season-ending surgeries on their right shoulders Friday.
Seabrook will also have surgery on his right hip in early January and left hip in early February. Both players were placed on long-term injured reserve, which freed up $11.425 million in salary cap space for the Blackhawks. Forwards Drake Caggiula and Andrew Shaw are also on LTIR after suffering concussions, giving the Blackhawks $16.825 million in salary relief with four players on LTIR.
De Haan, 28, re-injured his shoulder Dec. 10 after a hit by Golden Knights forward Mark Stone in the first period of a 5-1 loss in Las Vegas. De Haan has six points (one goal, five assists) in 29 games this season after being acquired with forward Aleksi Saarela in exchange for goaltender Anton Forsberg and defenseman Gustav Forsling from the Hurricanes on June 24.
Here’s a closer look at the play where #Blackhawks defenseman Calvin de Haan injured his right shoulder in the first period after a hit from Golden Knights right wing Mark Stone.
De Haan skated off the ice on his own and did not return for the rest of the game. pic.twitter.com/Bb8GIknJl3
— Brandon (@brandonmcain) December 11, 2019
The 34-year-old Seabrook didn’t travel with Chicago for its two-game road trip to Winnipeg and Denver before Christmas break and didn’t play in the Blackhawks’ 7-1 loss to New Jersey on Monday due to “nagging injuries,” according to coach Jeremy Colliton. Seabrook, a three-time Stanley Cup champion, has four points (three goals, one assist) in 32 games in his 15th NHL season.
De Haan has three years remaining on his contract with a $4.55 million annual cap hit, while Seabrook’s deal has five years left worth $6.875 million and a full no-movement clause until 2022 when it shifts to a modified no-trade clause of five teams then a 10-team NTC in the final year.
Forward Brandon Saad will also miss three weeks with a right ankle injury. Saad sustained his injury after a hit by Jets defenseman Luca Sbisa in the second period of a 4-1 win Dec. 19 in Winnipeg. Saad has 19 points (11 goals, eight assists) in 35 games this season.
Brandon Saad exits the game in the second period after a hit by Luca Sbisa. #Blackhawks pic.twitter.com/YSHCzW8D1G
— Brandon (@brandonmcain) December 20, 2019
The Blackhawks host the Islanders on Friday at the United Center.