There were apparently indications, long before Brent Seabrook wrapped his own playing career and was hired by the Calgary Flames, that he could have a future in player development.
That revelation came from one of Seabrook’s longtime teammates and best buddies, Duncan Keith, during his Hockey Hall of Fame induction speech.
“People often ask me what my favourite moment was playing in the NHL … ” Keith told the crowd on Monday as he was saluted with the Class of 2025. “The Cup wins are definitely highlights, but getting the opportunity to suit up alongside Brent Seabrook and become the first defensive pairing in the NHL to play 1,000 games together as teammates is right there too.
“I’m not sure we get that distinction had I not had Brent honking his horn outside my house, calling my phone, making sure I was up and ready to catch the plane. That is the kind of teammate Brent is, and I was fortunate to ride shotgun alongside him.”
Most would describe Seabrook as the sidekick on that power pairing, but that’s hardly an insult.
During a six-spring span from 2010-15, he ranked second among all NHLers in total playoff ice-time, trailing only Keith in that category.
Together, they backboned the Chicago Blackhawks to three Stanley Cup parades.
That been-there, done-that, got-the-ring(s) was a big part of the appeal when the Flames recruited Seabrook this past summer to join their player development team. He and Michael Stone, who also patrolled the point at the highest level, are focused on the progress of Calgary’s deep pool of blue-line prospects.
Now 40, Seabrook has been frequently spotted at Flames practice this fall as a tutor and sounding board for Zayne Parekh, although the talented teen is currently sidelined due to injury. Back in 2005, Seabrook made the jump from major junior to the NHL, so he realizes the sort of challenge that Parekh is facing.
When the Flames are on the road, or even on an off-day, there’s a strong chance that Seabrook is working with the Wranglers, sharing secrets from his 1,114 big-league appearances with a bunch of guys who are hellbent on climbing that last rung. The farm team blue-line features several dudes in their early-20s — from Hunter Brzustewicz in a major-minute role to rookie pro Etienne Morin, who just returned from a stint in the ECHL and hopes he can establish himself as an every-nighter now that Yan Kuznetsov has earned a promotion.
“If you look analytically at our defencemen with the Wranglers, they have all improved,” praised Flames director of player development Ray Edwards. “And obviously having Zayne there, Seabs has been a great voice for Zayne, somebody he can bang stuff off the walls with. If there are things he doesn’t understand or is trying to learn, Seabs has been through everything, right?”
“(Seabrook) is a valuable source of information for not only the players but coaching staffs,” agreed Flames bench boss Ryan Huska prior to Tuesday’s matchup with the Blues in St. Louis. “When you have a guy that has played that many games and had such a successful career in a lot of different situations, whether it’s Stanley Cup playoffs or international competitions … He’s been there and he’s seen a lot. And I think for a young defenceman who is trying to learn from him or even bounce ideas off of him, what they may be feeling in certain situations or ‘How do I best handle this?’ he’s excellent in those individual conversations.
“So we’re very fortunate that he’s a part of our staff now.”
Indeed, when this guy talks, any up-and-coming blue-liner should be glued to every word. In addition to three Stanley Cups, Seabrook is also an Olympic gold medallist.
“He had a real big career in the NHL and I’m really excited to have this guy around us,” beamed Wranglers defenceman Artem Grushnikov.
“He’s great,” Brzustewicz echoed. “I mean, you look at his accolades — this guy has been doing it for a long time. I’ve chatted with him every single time he’s been on the ice with us. I’m always trying to pick his brain. For me, I’m going to take whatever I can from him. He’s been super helpful.”
Apparently always has been, whether with a honk of his car-horn or a ‘Hey, maybe you could try this … ’
Swapping his Flames track suit for a shirt and tie, Seabrook was among the former Blackhawks in attendance Monday to celebrate Keith’s induction to the Hockey Hall of Fame.
When his current co-workers in Calgary watched the clip of that special shout-out, they likely nodded in agreement.
“Those guys know, right? You know you don’t get certain places without certain teammates,” Edwards said. “I know Seabs is one of those guys that all those guys on that team would rave about. You don’t win without guys like Seabs. They’re not always the most flashy, but they get the job done. And I think that’s one of the things that he brings to our group, too — with a guy like Kuzy, for example, he lets him know how important his game is. Because you don’t win without guys like that.
“Not everybody gets to be flashy and get a bunch of points or light up people up in fights or with big open-ice hits. You need defencemen that can kill plays and move the puck and be steady and be consistent. That’s what Seabs was. His consistency was unbelievable. He just kept doing it and doing it and doing it, and we think he can bring that lesson to our guys.”