Untitled Page

Duncan Keith News & Rumors

Kane, Toews, Keith light the lamp
January 21
Chicago Sun-Times
 
"Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane so rarely need extra motivation. But with several former teammates returning to the United Center for the first time as visitors and Kane looking to break out of lengthy and uncharacteristic slump, both had added incentive in a 3-1 victory Friday over the Florida Panthers. Kane set up Toews for a breakaway goal in the first period before before Toews repaid the favor in the second, getting an assist when Kane fired a shot past Jose Theodore (19 saves) on a 2-on-1 in the second to snap a streak of seven games without a goal. "A lot of guys have been producing around here. It was nice to come up for the team tonight and score a big one," Kane said. "Anytime"
Keith accepting fault for poor defense
November 23
Chicago Tribune
 
"Moments after posting an ugly minus-4 during a game in which the Blackhawks' defense disappeared, Duncan Keith stood in the visiting dressing room trying to explain what happened. Twenty-four hours later, Keith was at it again after another minus-4 effort during an even uglier defensive performance. The former Norris Trophy winner has been the poster boy for the Hawks' collapses in their own zone the last two games, which included a 5-2 pasting against the Flames and a 9-2 shellacking versus the Oilers the next night."
Keith 'optimistic' he'll play Tuesday at St. Louis
November 8
Chicago Tribune
 
"Coming off their worst performance of the season, the Blackhawks were buoyed by the presence of defenseman Duncan Keith during practice Monday. Keith has missed three consecutive games with an upper-body injury, including Sunday night's 6-2 demolishing at the hands of the Canucks, but said he's "optimistic" he'll return when the Hawks kick off a two-game trip Tuesday night in St. Louis. "Things are definitely better than I expected," said Keith, who had been wearing a wrap on his left hand since being hit with a shot Oct. 31 against the Predators. "It's gotten a lot better. Practice (Monday) was good and I'm optimistic (Tuesday) that I can hopefully see what I can do.""
Duncan Keith may play vs. Blues; Quenneville alters 'D'
November 7
Chicago Sun-Times
 
"Duncan Keith is ready to get out of the uncharted waters he finds himself in. After missing three games in a row with a finger/hand injury, the standout defenseman said he's optimistic that he'll play Tuesday for the Blackhawks against the Blues in St. Louis. Keith practiced for the first time with this teammates Monday after getting injured last week when he blocked a shot against the Nashville Predators. "It felt good to be back out," Keith said. "I was excited to be back out there with the guys and getting in some drills again. I haven't had really much time like that where you're sitting out and not playing. It's nice to get out on the ice again.""
Keith out for Thursday night's game
November 3
Chicago Tribune
 
"Playing without the services of their top defenseman as they begin a difficult stretch of the schedule isn't ideal for the Blackhawks, but that's where they find themselves with Duncan Keith sidelined with a hand injury. Keith will not be in the lineup when the Hawks kick off a two-game trip against the Panthers on Thursday night at the BankAtlantic Center. The veteran suffered the injury when he was struck in the left hand with a shot during the second period of Monday 5-4 overtime victory over the Predators."
Less is more for Keith
October 26
Chicago Tribune
 
"A little less Duncan Keith could turn into a lot more production for the Blackhawks defenseman. Keith led the NHL in ice time last season with an average of 26 minutes, 53 seconds per game and at times didn't appear to have the same jump in his skates as he did during the Stanley Cup run."
Blackhawks' Keith rejuvenated for this season
September 18
Chicago Tribune
 
"The summer after the Blackhawks won the 2010 Stanley Cup, Duncan Keith took some time to relax before the defenseman began training for another season of hockey. Just not nearly enough time. "We won the Cup and I took two weeks off," Keith said. "Looking back, it was probably the stupidest thing I could have done. But I didn't want to be behind in my training; I wanted to get stronger and get going to the gym. "I remember doing squats and my hip would be bothering me and my shoulder felt like it was coming out. I needed to take maybe another month off and I would have been a lot better for it.""
Hit on Seabrook amped up Keith's game
April 23
Vancouver Province
 
"You won't get universal agreement from the Blackhawks, but Raffi Torre's shoulder-to-head hit on Brent Seabrook may have caused the flash of emotional gunpowder that's ignited the defending Stanley Cup champs in this wacky playoff series with the Canucks. Torres hammered Seabrook behind the net and the thunderous body check – combined with another by Torres a few minutes later – eventually sidelined the Tsawwassen native for the last two games. The Hawks are calling it "upper body," but most suspect a concussion. The Canucks went on to win that game 3-2 to take a 3-0 stranglehold in the best of seven Western Conference quarterfinal series. But the Hawks have roared back to take the next"
Duncan the Braveheart leads Hawks back
April 23
Vancouver Sun
 
"In Gaelic, the name Duncan means roughly "brown-haired warrior," so Dave and Jean Keith got it pretty much right when they christened their middle child. There is, however, a tint of red to Duncan Keith's locks and playoff stubble, so maybe the name is not quite perfect even if the Chicago Blackhawks' warrior-chieftain nearly was on Thursday. The defenceman had two goals, four-points, eight shots and was plus-two in the Blackhawks' 5-0 mind-meld of the Vancouver Canucks. "There wasn't anything he wasn't doing last night," teammate Jonathan Toews said Friday. "He's just playing his best hockey. We were just saying it's been a while since we've seen him playing that well." Yes, it has been"
Hawks' Duncan Keith back in form, turns his wrath on Canucks
April 23
Chicago Sun-Times
 
"Duncan Keith admitted Friday it has been a trying and inconsistent season for him. The Vancouver Canucks probably just wish he wasn't taking all of his frustrations out on them. Keith has been far and away the Blackhawks' best player in their first-round series against the Canucks — with four goals and two assists in the last three games — as they have clawed their way back into contention. "He's just playing his best hockey," Jonathan Toews said Friday. "We were just saying it's been awhile since we've seen him play that well. "He was all over the place [in Game 5]. There wasn't anything he wasn't doing [Thursday]. He was getting into the mix after the whistles. .??.??. He's been deadly"
Keith hitting stride in NHL playoffs
April 23
Chicago Tribune
 
"If you were of the disgruntled mindset that Duncan Keith was off to a particularly dreary start this season, then you and Duncan Keith have much in common. "I played a lot of games the year before, and there were things I probably could have done differently during the summer to prepare for this season," the Blackhawks defenseman said Friday after a thoroughly dominant four-point effort the previous night in a season-saving Game 5 victory over the Canucks in the Western Conference quarterfinals. "I like to work out and train a lot and feel good going into the season. I'm not making any excuses, but I didn't feel excited coming back to start a season. That's just being honest. "I'm excited"
Playoffs bringing out the best in Keith
April 22
Chicago Tribune
 
"The sight of Duncan Keith on Thursday night — shoulder pads still strapped on with a championship belt on his bench and a fallen partner's sweater hanging behind him — had everything to do with the sight of Duncan Keith on Sunday night. Two long, arduous seasons in which he pulled along the Blackhawks defense like a work ox seemed to sap his energy. Then came the invigorating goal and emphatic fist-pump early in Game 3 versus the Canucks. By the end of the Hawks' 5-0 victory in Game 5 on Thursday night, three more scores had followed. The guy who took a puck to the mouth during the run to the Stanley Cup once again is showing his teeth in the postseason. "It feels good to score, obviously,"
Thin defense has effect on Duncan Keith
March 14
Chicago Sun-Times
 
"Blackhawks defenseman Duncan Keith is accustomed to playing big minutes and taking long shifts. But even he felt a bit worn out Sunday against the Washington Capitals. The Hawks were forced to play with four defensemen for more than six minutes to start the third period because Brian Campbell (left leg) was unavailable and Brent Seabrook was in the penalty box for his fight with Jason Chimera late in the second. ''That was tough,'' said Keith, who had an assist, four shots and three blocks in nearly 31 minutes. ''We had four [defensemen] for a good part of the game and five for most of the game. It wears on you, especially with a team like them with a lot of speed. Their guys do a good job"
Source: Duncan Keith injured finger
March 7
ESPN.com
 
"Chicago Blackhawks defenseman Duncan Keith is nursing a finger injury on his right hand, according to a person familiar with the situation. Keith blocked a shot in the third period of Saturday night's game against the Toronto Maple Leafs and missed the final 15:34, though he was on the bench until the final horn."
Hawks' Leddy learning from master in pairing with Keith
March 2
Chicago Tribune
 
"All of 19 years old and thrust into a key role for the Blackhawks as they duke it out in the Western Conference, defenseman Nick Leddy is too busy to be nervous. "Down the stretch every game is critical," said Leddy, who has settled into a regular spot on the Hawks' blue line. "It gets pretty nerve-wracking out there but your adrenaline kicks in and you don't really feel it anymore. It's just having confidence in yourself that you know you're going to make the right plays." Helping Leddy along the way is reigning Norris Trophy winner Duncan Keith, currently paired with the Eden Prairie, Minn., native. "Playing with Duncan I've felt comfortable the whole time," said Leddy, who has two goals"
Keith starting to show some fire
February 3
Chicago Tribune
 
"The normally mild-mannered Duncan Keith unleashed a vigorous fist-pump after scoring Tuesday night, the telling punctuation to the end of a 15-game goal-free stretch. Clearly, the Blackhawks won't rely on the Norris Trophy winner to fuel the offense by piling up goals. But if finally cashing in on a quality opportunity ignites more productive aggression from Keith, all the better for a team that needs high-level play from its stars during the stretch run. "I'll start worrying about (scoring) when I'm not getting any chances," Keith said after a morning practice Wednesday at Nationwide Arena. "The last little while, I got a lot of great chances and the goaltender made some good saves, and"
Good times roll for Blackhawks at skills event
January 30
Chicago Tribune
 
"Blackhawks All-Stars showcased their skills and their wit during Saturday night's SuperSkills competition at RBC Center in Raleigh, N.C. The Hawks' All-Stars had a good laugh at the expense of captain Jonathan Toews, who was awarded a do-over after falling to teammate Patrick Sharp in a duel during the accuracy event because he couldn't hear the whistle to start. Toews then went on to defeat Sharp in the only head-to-head matchup between Hawks. "It kind of sucks for him and for me," Toews said with a laugh. "I don't really feel great about it. Everyone's calling me a crybaby now because they gave me a rematch. Maybe we'll have to do it again in Chicago and have a rubber match, best out of"
Collection of old and current Hawks on same team for All-Star Game
January 29
Chicago Tribune
 
"When Joel Quenneville glances at the opposing bench during Sunday's NHL All-Star Game, the Blackhawks coach will see plenty of familiar faces. Quenneville will face current players Patrick Kane, Duncan Keith and Jonathan Toews during Sunday's contest at RBC Center, as well as former Hawks Dustin Byfuglien and Martin Havlat. Those players all ended up on Team Lidstrom after Friday night's All-Star Fantasy Player Draft in Raleigh, N.C. A coin flip earlier in the day determined Quenneville and assistant Mike Haviland would coach Team Staal. "I'm definitely not going to go by the bench and yap at (Quenneville) or mouth off to him or anything like that," Toews said. "It's just good to have him"
Hawks' Keith finally catches welcome break
January 19
Chicago Sun-Times
 
"Defenseman Duncan Keith has been looking forward to the Blackhawks' five-day break. And who can blame him? From all the regular-season minutes to back-to-back long postseasons to leading Canada in ice time in the Olympics last year, no one has played more hockey than Keith the last few years. "I'm definitely going to use this week to rest up and get as much energy as I can," Keith said. "I feel all right now. I feel like my energy is coming back. I feel good." Having a rejuvenated Keith is important for the Hawks. The defending Norris Trophy winner as the league's best defenseman, Keith is the driving force behind many things the defending champions do. So it should come as no surprise"
Toews, Keith are All-Stars
January 5
Chicago Sun-Times
 
"Blackhawks center Jonathan Toews and defenseman Duncan Keith were voted into the 2011 All-Star Game by fans, finishing second at their respective positions in voting that ended late Monday. Also voted in were four Pittsburgh Penguins: centers Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin, goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury and defenseman Kris Letang. The remaining 36 spots for the All-Star Game on Jan. 30 in Raleigh, N.C., will be selected by the NHL, which instituted changes to the All-Star format, and announced Tuesday. Hawks coach Joel Quenne­ville and assistant Mike Haviland will coach one of the All-Star teams."
Toews, Keith voted in by fans as NHL All-Stars
January 5
Chicago Tribune
 
"The Blackhawks' Jonathan Toews and Duncan Keith are headed to the 2011 NHL All-Star Game. The league announced Tuesday that Toews, a forward, and defenseman Keith were among the top vote-getters at their positions and, as a result, were selected to play in the Jan. 30 game in Raleigh, N.C. They were two of six players the fans voted in while the other 42 All-Stars for each team will be determined by a draft after two captains are the players choose captains. "It's amazing," said Toews, who will make his second All-Star Game appearance. "It's tough to think I'd be there otherwise if it wasn't for the fan voting so I have the fans to thank for that. I'll try not to disappoint. "It's an honor"
The better Hawks play, the fewer minutes Keith sees
December 29
Chicago Tribune
 
"Even as the Blackhawks' defense has found a groove and regularly is shutting down foes, its top player has been on the ice for fewer minutes. Duncan Keith, who has led the NHL in ice time since the beginning of the season, is now second behind the Sharks' Dan Boyle in that category. Entering Tuesday night's game against the Blues at Scottrade Center, Keith has averaged 26 minutes, 50 seconds of ice time while Boyle was at 26:59. "Everybody wants to play a lot," Keith said. "(But) it's not something that I look at at the end of the season and say, 'Wow, I wanted to lead the league in ice time.'""
Keith thinks Hawks defense coming along
December 16
Chicago Tribune
 
"It was late in Duncan Keith's rookie season when the Blackhawks defenseman suffered through a miserable game, finishing with a minus-5 plus/minus rating. That game on April 13, 2006 against the Red Wings when he was on the ice for five even-strength goals is a distant memory, further faded after an NHL All-Star Game appearance and a Norris Trophy-winning season that helped the Hawks win their first Stanley Cup in 49 years. Since that minus-5, Keith never had been worse than a minus-3 — until this season when he has been minus-4 twice —including during Monday night's 7-5 loss to the Avalanche in Colorado. At a team-worst minus-11 entering Wednesday night's rematch against the Avalanche at"
Hawks reunite defensemen Keith and Seabrook
November 27
Chicago Tribune
 
"The Blackhawks reverted to some familiar-looking defensive pairings Friday when they faced the Ducks. Brent Seabrook and Duncan Keith were reunited on the top unit with Brian Campbell and Niklas Hjalmarsson paired again during the Hawks' 4-1 victory at Honda Center. The four, along with Jassen Cullimore and Nick Boynton, had been split apart the last seven games as coach Joel Quenneville searched for the right combinations. "It felt easier going back with (Seabrook)," Keith said. "You separate and you feel like you work on your game a little bit and get to back to basics." Added Quenneville: "I like the way the pairs have been since we split up. At the same time, with Duncan and Seabrook,"
Quenneville keeping close watch on ice time of iron man Keith
October 22
Chicago Sun-Times
 
"Coach Joel Quenneville acknowledged again that the Blackhawks will be watchful of the minutes defenseman Duncan Keith is logging early this season. Keith surpassed 30 minutes for the sixth time in the first eight games in Wednesday's win against the Vancouver Canucks. He barely left the ice in overtime of the Hawks' 3-2 shootout win, playing 3:16 of the five-minute period. Keith has played 241 minutes, 26 seconds -- by far the most in the NHL. As of Thursday, defensive partner Brent Seabrook was next at 209:38. Keith is averaging 30:10 a game, also a league high. Is it hard to keep Keith off the ice? ''Yes,'' Quenneville said. ''We're down [Brian Campbell] on the back end, and he likes a"
Bolland, Keith humbled by benefit for fallen officers
October 20
Chicago Sun-Times
 
"The anticipation was building. It was their first big event, and it had taken months of planning. It was for something they strongly believed in and wanted to see flourish. ''It was stressful and hectic,'' Chicago police officer Rick Caballero said. ''We didn't know what to expect.'' The event was the inaugural fund-raiser for the Brotherhood for the Fallen, a not-for-profit organization of Chicago police officers committed to attending the funeral services of officers slain in the line of duty across the United States and giving their families financial donations. The founders -- Caballero and fellow officers Patrick McGrath, John McKenna, James McNichols and Kris Stipanov -- picked Sept."
Duncan Keith brings Stanley Cup to Penticton, B.C
July 19
NHL.com
 
"Jean Keith will never forget the day when she realized her hockey-crazed son, Duncan, was fixated on proving the skeptics wrong. "One parent asked Duncan, 'What do you want to be when you grow up?' and he said 'I want to be an NHL player,' " Jean told NHL.com on Saturday. "And the parent just laughed because Duncan was just so small. But he was really mad that she laughed and he asked me, 'Why is she laughing, mom?' "He was 9 years old at the time, and I knew then his heart was in this for the long haul." It was a long road to the top but Keith reached hockey's pinnacle this past season – an Olympic gold medalist, Norris Trophy winning defenseman and Stanley Cup champion with the Chicago"
Keith to marshal race; Scott officially in tow
July 3
Chicago Sun-Times
 
"Blackhawks defenseman Duncan Keith will be Grand Marshal of the LifeLock.com 400 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race next Saturday at Chicagoland Speedway. ''The Blackhawks captivated the entire city and country with their Stanley Cup-winning run, and our fans will love to bring Blackhawk fever to the race,'' Craig Rust, president of Chicagoland Speedway/Route 66 Raceway, said in a statement. Keith won the Norris Trophy as the league's best defenseman. He is the only player to win a gold medal, the Stanley Cup and the Norris Trophy in the same year."
Draft role model? Try Keith
June 25
Chicago Sun-Times
 
"Fifteen defensemen were drafted before the Blackhawks selected Duncan Keith with the 54th overall pick in the 2002 NHL draft. As there are every year, there were good picks and bad ones. Take the Hawks' selection of defenseman Anton Babchuk in the first round that year. Jay Bouwmeester, Joni Pitkanen and Ryan Whitney went three, four and five to the Florida Panthers, Philadelphia Flyers and Pittsburgh Penguins. All three are solid NHL players. So is Keith Ballard, who was selected by the Buffalo Sabres with the 11th overall pick. But the evolution and rise of Keith remains a sign of the importance of good drafting and committing to those players. Neither Bouwmeester, Pitkanen, Whitney nor"
Norris win caps Keith's historic year
June 24
Chicago Sun-Times
 
"The Blackhawks' Duncan Keith was awarded the Norris Trophy, which goes to the NHL's best defenseman, on Wednesday night at the NHL Awards at the Palms Casino & Resort. He's the fourth Hawk to win the Norris, joining Chris Chelios (1993, 1996), Doug Wilson (1982) and Pierre Pilote (1963, 1964, 1965). And he's the first player to win an Olympic gold medal, the Stanley Cup and the Norris Trophy in the same year. ''It's pretty surreal thinking about that,'' said Keith, who had 76 of 133 first-place votes from the Professional Hockey Writers' Association to beat out the Washington Capitals' Mike Green and the Los Angeles Kings' Drew Doughty. ''I'm going to take some time to relax and enjoy it."
Too much winning? Blackhawks' Keith is just teething
June 23
Chicago Sun-Times
 
"Duncan Keith's smile was more complete Tuesday. But it also contained a lot more plastic than anyone would want in the mouth. ''I kind of want to take them back out because my mouth is all fake and plastic now,'' Keith said. ''[My] gums are pretty sore, obviously. I guess it looks better than with no teeth.'' Keith endured a six-to- seven-hour procedure with team dentists to replace the seven teeth he lost in Game 4 of the Western Conference finals against the San Jose Sharks. Still, Keith, who reached iconic status for his ability to tough out his face-numbing losses, didn't mind showing off his new teeth at the Palms Casino & Resort, which hosts the NHL Awards tonight (6:30, Versus). And"
Keith has had a long climb
June 18
Ottawa Citizen
 
"He makes it look effortless on the ice, but Duncan Keith had to overcome a lot of big-body prejudice to get to where he is today. "It's been a long climb," his dad Dave said from the family home in Penticton. "He was always an especially little hockey player, a small kid all the way through." It wasn't until he turned 17 and made the Penticton Panthers, scoring 18 goals as a rookie D-man and earning a scholarship to Michigan State, that all those endless hours practising, the twice-weekly early-morning power-skating sessions and figure skating lessons that he kept attending until he was 10, back in Fort Frances, Ont., paid off. As a Panthers teammate of Keith's put it : "Duncan was a small"
Stanley Cup, Hawks drop in on Leno
June 15
Chicago Sun-Times
 
"Taking a break from bar-hopping in Chicago, the Stanley Cup -- and four of the Blackhawks -- went to Los Angeles for an appearance Monday on "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno." Patrick Kane, who scored the winning goal in Game 6 of the Stanley Cup finals against Philadelphia, led teammates Jonathan Toews, Duncan Keith and Brent Seabrook on stage at the end of Leno's monologue, as the Tonight Show Band played "We Are the Champions." Kane said scoring the game-winning goal "was pretty unbelievable." "I think it's every kid's dream to actually do that, and I think I was the only one that probably knew it went in at the time, but it was pretty exciting and we won the Stanley Cup," he said. "It's"
Keith thankful puck just hit teeth
May 26
Chicago Tribune
 
"Duncan Keith lost count by the end of his visits to the dentist Monday, but he estimated to his Blackhawks teammates that doctors jammed Novocain-filled needles into his gums and vacated tooth roots maybe 30 times over two days. Extracting seven teeth via high-speed collision with a hockey puck is bad enough. Then come those needles. Then, perhaps worst of all, the needling. "It's kind of funny," winger Patrick Kane said. "Guys are saying he looks like he's homeless." Keith may whistle while he talks, sounding like he packed chestnuts into his cheeks after a catching that puck off Patrick Marleau's stick in Game 4 of the Western Conference finals Sunday against the Sharks. And, yes, short"
Duncan lost teeth, but gained fans' respect
May 25
Chicago Tribune
 
"Chicago hockey fans can now be split into two distinct groups: Those who saw Blackhawks defenseman Duncan Keith's puck-to-the- mouth toothsplosion and felt nauseous, and those who didn't bat an eye when the veteran player skated back on the ice seven teeth lighter. It was the kind of jaw-dropping moment of toughness sports fans live for. But to truly grasp how anyone could have seven teeth knocked out — some shattered — by a rock-hard disc and then go on to help a team earn a trip to the Stanley Cup finals, you have to have either played hockey, or be a dentist. "Hockey players, they don't worry about stuff like that," said Ken "Coach Ken" Rzepecki, the on-ice instructor at Johnny's"
Duncan Keith absorbs the shot, numbs Chicago's pain
May 24
Chicago Tribune
 columnist David Haugh
"Like many of the 22,224 people surrounding Duncan Keith at the United Center during the Blackhawks' 4-2 victory over the Sharks on Sunday that clinched the team's first trip to the Stanley Cup finals in 18 years, Keith got a little choked up. The lump in Keith's throat was enamel, not emotion. He coughed up a tooth that lodged there after the puck fired off the stick of the Sharks' Patrick Marleau smacked Keith in the face in the second period. It knocked out seven teeth — three on top, four on the bottom. "I took one breath, and it felt like my whole mouth was missing," Keith said. Keith returned after team doctors numbed his mouth to log a team-high 29 minutes, 2 seconds, the example of"
Keith able to smile despite losing 7 teeth
May 24
Chicago Tribune
 
"Plenty of smiles were on display in the Blackhawks' dressing room after their four-game sweep of the Sharks. Duncan Keith, however, wasn't flashing his pearly whites. Or what was left of them. The veteran defenseman lost seven teeth when hit in the mouth with a puck off the stick of Patrick Marleau during the second period of the Hawks' 4-2 victory Sunday. "I just smashed all my teeth out," Keith said as he opened his mouth to reveal the damage. "They numbed it after it happened; they just stuck a bunch of needles in there and froze it all up. It feels a lot better when we win. It would probably be hurting a lot more if we lost." Keith lost four teeth on the bottom and three on top and"
Stage set for clash of dynamic duos
May 1
Vancouver Sun
 
"There are tandems on ice that have lasted longer, but they usually involve side-by-side triple Salchows or sled dogs. Chicago Blackhawks Duncan Keith and Brent Seabrook have been defence partners for three years, which is like forever in a National Hockey League whose line combinations and blue-line pairings change on a coach's whim, often by the shift. Keith and Seabrook, B.C. boys whose pooled talents are an impressive blend of speed, power and size, are a retro pairing -- a throwback to previous decades when good hockey partnerships outlasted good Hollywood marriages. Paul Coffey and Charlie Huddy on the Edmonton Oilers. Brian Leetch and Jeff Beukeboom on the New York Rangers. Ray"
Keith honored by Norris nod
April 24
Chicago Sun-Times
 
"Duncan Keith never dreamed of becoming a candidate for the Norris Trophy when he signed with the Blackhawks, and it wasn't even foremost on his mind Friday, when he was named one of three finalists for the award honoring the top defenseman in the NHL. Not in the middle of a grind-it-out Stanley Cup playoff series still hanging in the balance. ''That's the beauty of it all, that the team has been playing well and we're in a good battle for the playoffs,'' Keith said. ''That's really what it's all about. It's about your teammates, your team, how the team's doing, and you get a lot of these awards when the team is good.'' Keith joined Mike Green of the Washington Capitals and 20-year-old Drew"
Keith finalist for Norris Trophy
April 24
Chicago Tribune
 
"Duncan Keith was rewarded for a stellar season Friday when he was named as a finalist for the Norris Trophy, given to the NHL's top defenseman. The Blackhawks' blue liner set career highs with 15 goals, 54 assists and 69 points and was a plus-21 as he played in all 82 regular-season games. "Just to be nominated is a huge honor," Keith said. "If you look at other people who have been nominated and other people who have won it, it's a pretty special category and one that I'm very proud to be a part of." Keith, 26, was a major factor in the Hawks' run to the Central Division title and a second-place finish in the Western Conference. He also has spearheaded the defense during the Hawks'"
Blackhawks' Keith named Norris trophy finalist
April 23
Chicago Tribune
 
"The Blackhawks' Duncan Keith has been selected as a finalist for the Norris Trophy, awarded to the NHL's best defenseman. Keith, 26, ranked second among NHL defensemen this season with a career-high 69 points. He had career-bests in goals (15) and assists (54) in 82 regular-season games. He led all defensemen in goals (10), assists (38), and points (48) recorded at even-strength, and ranked second among all players with an average of 26:35 of ice time per game."
Doughty, Green, Keith to vie for Norris Trophy
April 23
NHL.com
 
"Drew Doughty of the Los Angeles Kings, Mike Green of the Washington Capitals and Duncan Keith of the Chicago Blackhawks are the finalists for the 2009-10 Norris Trophy. None are older than 26, the three Canadians finished 1-2-3 among defensemen in scoring, and one will be a first-time winner of the honor. The James Norris Memorial Trophy is presented annually "to the defense player who demonstrates throughout the season the greatest all-round ability in the position." The winner is selected in a poll by the Professional Hockey Writers' Association at the end of the regular season. The winner of the trophy will be announced at the 2010 NHL Awards, to be held in Las Vegas on June 23. The"
Keith and Seabrook a pair again
April 18
Chicago Tribune
 
"They have played alongside each other so often it sometimes seems like Blackhawks defensemen Duncan Keith and Brent Seabrook know what the other one is thinking. "I don't know anything he's thinking, let alone on the ice," Keith said with a chuckle. After forming a tandem for the bulk of three seasons, the pair was split up during the stretch run of the regular season and in Friday night's 4-1 loss to the Predators in Game 1 of the Western Conference quarterfinals. During Saturday's practice at the United Center, coach Joel Quenneville had Keith and Seabrook back together and they are expected to remain that way for Game 2 on Sunday night at the United Center. Keith had been skating with"
Players deny post-Olympics stress disorder
April 7
Chicago Sun-Times
 
"As the losses piled up and the Blackhawks' top players struggled, the question of whether the Olympics negatively impacted the team became a serious one to explore. Patrick Kane, Jonathan Toews, Brent Seabrook, Duncan Keith, Marian Hossa and Tomas Kopecky all had their ups and downs as the Hawks stumbled through a 6-7-2 March. Were they simply worn out? Were they emotionally drained from the high-stakes competition? Most important, would they recover for the playoffs? ''It's been a pretty long season,'' Kane said. ''Especially after the Olympics, you got 20 games left and it doesn't seem like a lot. But it's been going pretty slow for me personally. You just want to get to the playoffs and"
Keith can't find good pair of skates
March 30
Chicago Sun-Times
 
"Defenseman Duncan Keith isn't one to make excuses for his recent struggles. But he's having an issue with his skates -- one that hasn't been resolved for some time. ''It hasn't happened in a while, but I like my skates to fit right and feel good,'' Keith said Monday after practice at the United Center. ''When you feel good out there, you play good. It's been awhile since I've had a good pair.'' Keith's abilities to skate and move quickly are his biggest assets, so feeling comfortable in his skates is crucial. Keith said he usually goes through three or four pairs of skates a season, but this season, he has surpassed that number. ''If they're good skates, not too many, but this year I've"
'Q' breaks up Seabrook, Keith
March 29
Chicago Sun-Times
 
"Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville opted to use different defensive pairings and line combinations Sunday against the Columbus Blue Jackets. The most notable move was breaking up defensemen Brent Seabrook and Duncan Keith, the Hawks' top pairing for most of the season. The duo is widely considered one of the best in the NHL, and Keith has emerged as a candidate for the Norris Trophy for the league's best blue-liner. Keith was paired with veteran Brent Sopel, and Seabrook joined Niklas Hjalmarsson, who had been playing with Dustin Byfuglien since Brian Campbell was injured. Keith and Sopel had minus-2 ratings as the Blue Jackets defeated the Hawks 4-2 on Sunday. ''We tried to get a little"
Blackhawks break up Keith, Seabrook
March 29
Chicago Tribune
 
"For essentially three seasons, Duncan Keith and Brent Seabrook have been soldered together on the Blackhawks' blue line. That they were pried apart Sunday night in a 4-2 loss to the Blue Jackets might be as indicative as anything of the currently precarious state of affairs. Seabrook skated with Niklas Hjalmarsson and Keith with Brent Sopel, the move partly about general shake-up and partly about spreading out the talent. "We tried to get a little balance there," coach Joel Quenneville said. "When you're not winning, you mix up the lines, and you can always try mixing up the 'D' a little bit too." There was a bit of a mixed message as to when the change went into effect — Keith said the"
Hawks defenseman Keith one of best -- and getting better
March 9
Chicago Sun-Times
 
"It was only a joke. But it spoke volumes as to what type of player Blackhawks defenseman Duncan Keith was about to become. ''We always joked in the minors that there would come a point in his career that he might be able to play the whole game,'' said Trent Yawney, a former Hawks coach and defenseman who mentored Keith for two years with the Norfolk Admirals of the American Hockey League. ''When he gets tired, everybody else is crawling off the ice.'' Keith, 26, leads the Hawks in ice time this season and for the last four years. He also logged the most minutes for Canada, which had several standout defensemen, during its Olympic gold-medal run. But believe it or not, there was a time"
For Blackhawks in Vancouver, playoff toughness, forged in medal
March 1
Chicago Tribune
 
"They withstood the soaring expectations of a hockey-crazed nation. They answered the hopes and dreams of a crowd screaming at the top of its lungs in a Canada Hockey Place filled to the rafters with sign-waving, cowbell-ringing citizens of a host country that wanted this as much as they did — as much as three of them anyway. After performing on arguably the biggest hockey stage of their young careers, the pressure of another deep run in the playoffs, perhaps even playing for the Stanley Cup, should equal, what, a weekend pond hockey game? The four Blackhawks in Sunday's thrilling gold-medal clash — Canadians Jonathan Toews, Duncan Keith and Brent Seabrook and the U.S.'s Patrick Kane, the"