Duncan Keith, who was traded to the Edmonton Oilers this week, is ranked by Hockey-Reference.com as the sixth greatest Blackhawk of all time, after Tony Esposito, Stan Mikita, Bobby Hull, Patrick Kane, and Glenn Hall. Keith is first among defensemen, ahead of Hall of Famers Doug Wilson and Pierre Pilote and his perennial backline partner Brent Seabrook.
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| DUNCAN KEITH |
Keith played 16 years in a Blackhawk sweater and ranks second, after Mikita, in games played for the franchise (Seabrook is third).
In addition to winning the Stanley Cup in 2010, 2013, and 2015, Keith won the Norris Trophy as the NHL's top defenseman in 2010 and 2014 and the Conn Smythe Trophy as most valuable player of the Stanley Cup playoffs in 2015. He was an Olympic gold medalist for Canada in 2010 and 2014, and he was named among the 100 greatest NHL players of all time in 2017. It seems certain that sweater number 2 will never be worn again by a Blackhawk—except when Keith himself wears it on the night it is retired.
Although Keith seemed to grow tired of hearing about it and talking about it over the years, an incident from Game 4 of the Western Conference Final in 2010 showed us all we needed to know about his toughness and heart. Keith dropped to one knee trying to block a shot—and succeeded, catching the puck square in the mouth.
"They [his teammates] didn't say much when I came off," said Keith, "because they didn't want to scare me about the way it looked. No stitches. Just stuck a bunch of needles in there and froze it all up." Minus seven teeth, Keith returned to the ice just in time to assist on the game-tying goal with barely a minute remaining in the second period. The Hawks scored two unanswered goals in the third period to complete a sweep over the San Jose Sharks and qualify for their first Stanley Cup Final since 1992.
"It's just missing teeth," Keith said through his ravaged mouth after the game. "It's a long way from the heart."
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