The Chicago Blackhawks aren't looking great so far this season. With a 2-5-2 record, well below .500, the Hawks are looking to send messages to some of their players that they need more out of them, and it starts Sunday night. Chicago has announced 34-year-old defenseman (and alternate captain) Brent Seabrook is a healthy scratch for the game against the LA Kings. Also watching from the pressbox will be 31-year-old forward Zack Smith.
Between the two of them, Seabrook and Smith make $10.125 million, or about 12.4 percent of an NHL team's salary cap. Seabrook has an AAV of $6.875 million, while Smith has an AVV of $3.25 million.
Unfortunately for the Blackhawks, Seabrook still has four seasons left on his contract after this one. Smith will become an unrestricted free agent after 2020-21.
This is just the 2nd time in his career that Seabrook has been a healthy scratch, with the first coming on January 9th of 2018 against Ottawa. Dennis Gilbert will draw into the lineup for Seabrook, who was on the ice for three of the four goals against in a 4-0 loss to the Carolina Hurricanes on Saturday.
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