Seabrook vs Chelios (Retiring the #7)

[Stephen]

Let's say the Chicago Blackhawks were to retire #7 right now for either Chris Chelios or Brent Seabrook, but they could only pick one Chelios or Seabrook but not the other. Which one do they pick? The captain and native Chicagoan and 2 time Norris Trophy winner or one of the integral pieces to a near dynasty with three Stanley Cups by the age of 30?

 

[AvroArrow]

If i had to pick 1, Seabrook. Just because of what he's accomplished with the blackhawks and because thus far it's the only team hes played for

 

[Marc the Habs Fan]

It has to be Chelios...he played at a far higher level as a player.

 

[ScottyBowman]

Seriously. That is a ridiculous statement.

 

[ecemleafs]

lol chelios is one of the greatest american players of all time and he spent a long part of his prime in chicago. has to be chelios.

 

[Sonic Disturbance]

Chelios and it's not close. Yes, Seabrook had more team success, but Chelios was a far superior player. It's like asking (if they wore the same number) whether Rick MacLeish was more deserving to get his number retired over Claude Giroux.

 

[Alexander the Gr8]

Chelios blows Seabrook out of the water. Chelios wasn't on a dynasty team like Seabrook, but he was much better.

A better question would be : "If Chelios and Keith wore the same number, who would the Hawks retire ?"

 

[Church of Toews*]

They wouldn't retire one without honoring the other Hawks have dual retired a number before and i could see them retiring 7 for Seabs and Chelios just have 2 banners up in the air like we did Keith Magnuson and Pierre Pilote both wore #3

 

[Stephen]

Chelios and it's not close. Yes, Seabrook had more team success, but Chelios was a far superior player. It's like asking (if they wore the same number) whether Rick MacLeish was more deserving to get his number retired over Claude Giroux.

Not really. Seabrook is a foundation piece to one of the great teams of this era. Giroux is a nice little scorer.

 

[Stephen]

Again, it's not about Chelios vs Seabrook as players. I get that Chelios was a superior individual, but if you were limited to celebrating one player, is it the individual from a less sucessful era, or the fourth best player in the best era of the Chicago Blackhawks.

 

[Terry Yake]

chelios without a doubt

 

[CC96]

Chelios for sure. Easily one of the best American players of all time, and he played at such a high level in Chicago, even though he never won a cup there.

 

[Church of Toews*]

Chelios blows Seabrook out of the water. Chelios wasn't on a dynasty team like Seabrook, but he was much better.

A better question would be : "If Chelios and Keith wore the same number, who would the Hawks retire ?"

Chelios is better career wise however seabrook would be retired over him (provided we don't do a double retirement). What people ignore is that Chelios left on a sour note won cups with the teams biggest rival, sure his prime was here, but he won cups with Detroit and is more affiliated with their organization over ours (he might be a assistant coach)

TLDR Chelios being better doesn't warrant his number being retired. Seabrook being a major part of 3 cup wins + him having a better relationship with the organization will win out in the end

 

[CanadianSuperPromise]

Chelios. Silly question.

 

[Lehkonen4Calder]

Every Hawks player (exept maybe Kane) seem really overrated on here

 

[Church of Toews*]

This isn't a "Who's the best #7 for the Hawks" its a who's more likely to get his number retired and its Seabs by a considerable margin

1) Chelios best years were here but people forget that he left on a sour note and won (3 cups?) with our biggest rival.

2) Chelios is more affiliated and seen as a redwing over a Blackhawk despite being our captain

3) Seabrook already wears #7 if the team intended to retire him they would not have let him wore especially with Chelios still being an active player when Seabs entered the league.

4) Its not about stats its about having a great connection to the fans and the organization Chelios is a candidate to be the assistant coach of the Wings meanwhile if he stays with us the rest of his career seats will probably get a front office job and get his number retired along with the big 3

 

[Sonic Disturbance]

Not really. Seabrook is a foundation piece to one of the great teams of this era. Giroux is a nice little scorer.

Yes it is. I was comparing Giroux to Chelios and Seabrook to MacLeish. MacLeish was a good player (maybe 4th or 5th most important) on the 1970s Flyers which won two cups. Giroux has been top-5 in Hart Voting several times, clearly the best player on his team and one of the best at his position but has zero cups (but 1 finals appearance). No brainer the Flyers would retire Giroux before MacLeish.

If two players are somewhat comparable, sure go with the one with 3 cups to zero. But Chelios >>>> Seabrook. So no comparison.

 

[Benedict Kovalchuk]

Chelios AINEC. This guy might be the most underrated player on HF, some of the comparisons with him and other players are just absurd.

 

[Esq]

If Chelios doesn't get his number retired, neither does Seabrook.

 

[Alexander the Gr8]

Chelios is better career wise however seabrook would be retired over him (provided we don't do a double retirement). What people ignore is that Chelios left on a sour note won cups with the teams biggest rival, sure his prime was here, but he won cups with Detroit and is more affiliated with their organization over ours (he might be a assistant coach)

TLDR Chelios being better doesn't warrant his number being retired. Seabrook being a major part of 3 cup wins + him having a better relationship with the organization will win out in the end

I didn't see it this way, that's a good point you make.

 

[PatriceBergeronFan]

Chelios easily.

 

[Knotty Moog]

Wait.... Are we talking about who is better or who was better for the Blackhawks?.... Because the answer is the same.

 

[Machinehead]

You're kidding me, right?

 

[The Zetterberg Era]

Aren't most people fairly positive that Brent Seabrook will be next to impossible to sign next summer for the Hawks?

That has to factor in with this discussion. I mean I guess if they find a way to make it work and he plays another 7+ seasons with Chicago with another cup somewhere in there you could see them going this route. But right now he doesn't have enough juice to go up over Chelios in my opinion, but really that is the Hawks prerogative as the divorce from Chelios is likely the only reason this honor was never given, so it doesn't really appear to be a hockey decision anyway which is what people are focusing a lot on in this thread.

The right now spin is Chelios handily.

 

[alexanderselivanov*]

seabrook ainec