While Brent Seabrook missed a fourth straight game Monday, Blackhawks general manager Stan Bowman said the team is close to announcing what is wrong with the 34-year-old defenseman.

"We should have an announcement on that soon," Bowman said before the Hawks took on New Jersey at the United Center. "He's had some medical challenges he's been dealing with for a while and we wanted to finally go get some diagnostics. When we have something to announce, we will."

Seabrook hasn't played since the Hawks defeated Minnesota 5-3 at the United Center on Dec. 15. He was a healthy scratch against the Avalanche three days later, then did not make the recent two-game road trip to Winnipeg or Colorado.

The team released an email three hours before puck drop in Winnipeg that Seabrook was undergoing further medical testing.

Bowman said it "could be" a long-term issue.

"You can't guess at those things," he said. "You've got to get the testing done."

Seabrook was scratched in back-to-back games early in the season and expressed his disappointment to reporters about it in Nashville on Oct. 29. He turned down a reporter's interview request before his third healthy scratch of the season last week.

Asked about what veteran defenseman's relationship is like with the coaching staff and management, Bowman responded by saying: "No problem at all with his relationship. Brent's more of an old-school guy. He doesn't say a lot. He just wants to play hockey. ...

He doesn't require a lot of communication or sitting down and talking to him, whereas some of our young guys they're used to that. They want to know everything you're thinking and they want to see everything.

"Brent's not like that. He's zero maintenance as far as that's concerned."

Seabrook has 3 goals and 1 assist in 32 games this season.