Blackhawks’ Seabrook deserves a spot on Team Canada

Brent Seabrook says he will spend Tuesday morning like everyone else, waiting to hear if he made the Canadian Olympic team.

Seabrook shouldn’t be made to sweat it out. He deserves to be on Team Canada for the upcoming Olympic Games in Sochi, Russia. But by most accounts he is on the bubble when he should be considered a lock to make the team along with teammates Jonathan Toews and Duncan Keith.

Seabrook was on Team Canada’s gold medal-winning team in 2010 and is an even better player now. He has won two Stanley Cups since then as well. This season alone Seabrook 26 assists, 31 points and is plus-22.

The “experts” aren’t giving Seabrook much love. Adam Proteau of The Hockey News has Seabrook among his top eight along with Keith, Drew Doughty of the Kings, Nashville’s Shea Weber, Montreal’s P.K. Subban, Jay Bouwmeester and Alex Pietrangelo of the Blues and San Jose’s Marc-Edouard Vlasic.

But TSN insiders Darren Dreger and Bob McKenzie don’t have Seabrook among their top eight. According to their sources, San Jose’s Dan Boyle will be the eighth defenseman going to Sochi.

If it were up to me, my eight would be Keith, Seabrook, Doughty, Weber, Bouwmeester, Pietrangelo, Subban and Vancouver’s Dan Hamhuis.

My 14 forwards would be Toews, Pittsburgh’s Sidney Crosby, Anaheim’s Ryan Getzlaf, the Islanders’ John Taveras and Boston’s Patrice Bergeron as the centers. My wingers would be the Hawks’ Patrick Sharp, San Jose’s Logan Couture, Tampa Bay’s Martin St. Louis and Steven Stamkos (if healthy), Anaheim’s Corey Perry, Philadelphia’s Claude Giroux, Colorado’s Matt Duchene and Dallas’ Jamie Benn.

My three goalies would be Montreal’s Carey Price, Vancouver’s Roberto Luongo and the Hawks’ Corey Crawford, although Luongo’s health is now a concern. Luongo hurt his ankle over the weekend.

Rozsival to Sochi:Hawks defenseman Michal Rozsival was one of 17 NHL players named to the Czech Republic#146;s Olympic team Monday. It will be the first Olympic appearance for the 35-year-old Rozsival.Former Hawks winger Michael Frolik, now with Winnipeg, also was named to play for the Czech Republic.So far for the Hawks, Rozsival and Patrick Kane are going to Sochi; Kane was named to Team USA last week. The other countries will name their teams Tuesday.Bickell benched:Left wing Bryan Bickell didn#146;t play in the third period or overtime in Sunday#146;s shootout loss to San Jose. Bickell, who signed a new $4 million contract in the off-season to stay put, has underperformed since a memorable run in the playoffs.After Sunday#146;s game Hawks coach Joel Quenneville was asked what he#146;d like to see Bickell do better.#147;Just his all-around game,#148; Quenneville said. #147;I just think there#146;s more there, whether it#146;s puck protection or recognition or being more involved, more direct.#148;Time change:The Hawks announced Monday that the game Sunday, Jan. 19, against Boston at the United Center has been selected as NBC#146;s game of the week. As a result, the game will start at 11:30 a.m. instead of 2 p.m.ŸFollow Tim#146;s hockey reports on Twitter @TimSassone and check out his Between the Circles blog at dailyherald.com.