The Chicago Blackhawks will be without two of their regular defensemen for the remainder of the season. Both Calvin de Haan and Brent Seabrook have been placed on long-term injured reserve after the team announced both will be undergoing season ending surgery.
De Haan, 28, underwent shoulder surgery in the offseason and missed the first couple of games of 2019-20 because of it. He will now undergo shoulder surgery on the same side (right) once again after getting injured in a game on December 10th. De Haan had one goal and six points in 29 games with Chicago this season.
Meanwhile, Seabrook will also undergo surgery on his shoulder as well as procedures on both hips. The 34-year-old played 32 games with the Blackhawks this season while spending a few on the sidelines as a healthy scratch. He has four more years after this one remaining on his contract that pays him $6.875 million per season. There was some speculation that he may be willing to waive his no trade clause in order to get out of Chicago to get more ice time with another team. That no longer matters for this season.
The announcement comes as a major blow to Chicago's defensive depth. Both Seabrook and de Haan are veteran blueliners. De Haan has played a total of 407 NHL games, while Seabrook has 1,114 games and three Stanley Cups. Given his current age and the fact that he's undergoing three surgical procedures, this could be a pivotal moment in his career.
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