As Duncan Keith has returned to form, so too have the Chicago Blackhawks.
That’s how big an impact the 32-year-old defenseman has on his team, as if we didn’t learn that already last spring.
“I think he’s played a lot better here as we’ve progressed, coming out of Christmas and going on from there,” coach Joel Quenneville told CSN Chicago. “He seems to be involved with our attack offensively, off the point, he scored a big goal for us the other night at home (Sunday vs. Ottawa). It’s not just the offense but important minutes in all situations. He’s one of those defensemen who makes a big impact on our team and you can see more predictability in our team game since he’s been back.”
Keith missed 10 games with a knee injury earlier in the season. The ‘Hawks are 17-6-3 since he’s been back.
Despite all those wins, many still wonder if GM Stan Bowman might try to add another defenseman prior to the Feb. 29 trade deadline. Keith, Brent Seabrook, and Niklas Hjalmarsson are all proven top-4 defenders that can handle big minutes in the postseason. One more of those types wouldn’t hurt, with all due respect to Trevor van Riemsdyk and the others.