Brent Seabrook, Duncan Keith back together after all these years

For most of the last two seasons, Brent Seabrook and Duncan Keith haven’t played together during five-on-five situations. The only times you would find them paired was when the Hawks were on the power play or in need of a late goal.

As coach Joel Quenneville has tried to find the right balance in his defensive pairings. Keith has spent the bulk of time with Niklas Hjalmarsson, while Seabrook has had a rotating cast playing on his left.

But now that Johnny Oduya is back and can play with his familiar partner Hjalmarsson, expect to see Keith and Seabrook playing a lot of minutes together the rest of the season.

The reunion began during the last couple of games as Hjalmarsson recovers from what a source said was a back injury.

“It’s nice to start a game together and focus on a full game instead of the last couple years, (when) we’ve been put together maybe when we need a goal or on the power play,” Seabrook said. “You’re definitely thinking differently than you would be if you start a game together, so that was good for us, the comfortability with each other.”

That can matter when the playoffs begin next month and Quenneville has the option of deploying Keith and Seabrook in offensively advantageous situations, so long as Oduya and Hjalmarsson can resume their duties as the go-to shutdown pairing.

“I enjoy playing with Seabs, but we’ve got a lot of defensemen, a lot of different options the coaches are going to look at,” Keith said. “But I feel me and Seabs play pretty good together. We can be good defensively and try to contribute offensively. All our defensemen are capable of contributing in a lot of different aspects. It’s a matter of executing.”

Seabrook has spent the plurality of his minutes this season alongside rookie Michal Kempny, with Brian Campbell also figuring into the mix earlier in the season.

Seabrook said he and Keith are familiar with each other offensively, considering all the time together on the power play, but the next couple of weeks can help them readjust to each other defensively.

“Getting used to each other again, you could say, is the big thing,” Seabrook said. “You’re getting used to playing with each other on the defensive side of it, as opposed to being put together with 10 minutes left when you’re down 3-1 or something like that and just going offense, offense, trying to score a goal.”

Quenneville appreciates the versatility Keith and Seabrook offer with their ability to enhance the Hawks’ game at both ends of the ice.

“They have played strong together, looks like they’re happy being back together,” Quenneville said. “You get some defensive ability in your own end and some offense coming out of it.

“It’s a nice pair against top guys, nice having the luxury of (deploying) a couple of sets that you’re comfortable with, especially with a lot of teams on a lot of nights when you don’t know which is the top matchup.”

Given his options on defense, Quenneville won’t have to worry so much about that.

chine@chicagotribune.com

Twitter @ChristopherHine

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