Doerrie's Deets: Friday, March 12th
Everyone's favourite recurring column, Doerrie's Deets, returns to Rinkside for another edition. There's been no shortage of action in the hockey world over the last couple of weeks --much of which has been covered ad nauseum -- but I wanted to start with Brent Seabrook. He announced his retirement but will go on LTIR (long-term injured reserve) as to not miss out on those sweet, sweet paycheques.
The writing was long on the wall for Seabrook. He hasn't played since December 15th, 2019 because of the litany of injuries that have compounded to push his career across the finishing line. It was a hip injury, specifically, that forced the three-time Stanley Cup winner and Olympic gold medallist's hand.
There were so many great moments in Seabrook's career, the trip to the penalty box to lift Jonathan Toews' spirits during a Stanley Cup run famously among them. More recently, he's offered mentorship to Chicago's developing nucleus of talent led by the likes of Alex DeBrincat and Kirby Dach, imparting the lessons that only a lifetime dedicated to the sport can offer.
Leadership is overvalued in hockey and often described as intangible. Seabrook's leadership has produced tangible results for Chicago on numerous occasions. It doesn't make his contract any less of an albatross, but his presence will nonetheless be missed.