Brent Seabrook officially kicks off his next chapter in the hockey world

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Sam Walker
January 8, 2024 (11:57 PM)

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Brent Seabrook, a Blackhawks icon with three Stanley Cup victories, faced a pivotal moment in 2019 when injuries took a toll on his body. Despite a stellar career, Seabrook wasn't ready to say goodbye. He underwent multiple surgeries, hoping for a comeback in the 2020 playoffs, but it didn't happen.

In a recent chat with TSN, Seabrook opened up about the frustrations of dealing with injuries and not being able to walk for three months. His determination to leave the game on his own terms became clear, leading to his retirement announcement in March 2021.

"I couldn't walk," Seabrook told TSN in a recent interview. "I was ready to go, and then all of a sudden, I couldn't walk. It was three months of banging my head against the wall trying to get healthy."

Looking back at his career, Seabrook acknowledged the toll his insistence on not missing games had on his body. Unhappy with an incomplete ending on the ice, he found a new purpose�to contribute to hockey beyond playing.

"I had a great career," he said. "Maybe my stubbornness of not missing games � wanting to be out there with my teammates � affected my body later on. You don't want to go out that way. I wanted to go out on my own terms.

"I told my body to just screw off for 15 years. It finally turned around and told me to screw off."

Supported by his wife, Dayna, who saw his passion for hockey, Seabrook took on a coaching role with the Vancouver Giants in the WHL. Now, he's diving into a fresh opportunity with Canada's junior hockey team for the 2024 World Junior Hockey Championship.

"She's like, 'You just light up when you talk hockey, he recalled his wife saying. "'You're done playing, but it's what you're meant to do."

Excited about sharing his wisdom with young players, Seabrook is open to coaching or managing professionally down the line. While his contract is with the Tampa Bay Lightning after a 2021 trade, he'll officially retire after this season. But beyond that, Seabrook envisions various possibilities, including the potential to "give it a shot" in the NHL later on. As he steps into this new phase, the hockey world eagerly anticipates the impact Seabrook will continue to make in a different role.