Blackhawks' Keith key to long playoff run

What happened to Duncan Keith?

What didn't? That's probably the better question.

There aren't many defensemen in the NHL today who could have lived up to what Duncan Keith went through in a span of 18 months, from January 2009 to the moment he drank from the Stanley Cup in 2010.

Consider that in early 2009, Keith was coming into his own as an NHL defenseman, but not talked about frequently as among the best Blackhawks players, certainly not thought of in the same vein as Jonathan Toews or Patrick Kane.

But when he missed four games with a concussion and the Hawks lost three of four, it became obvious that Keith was a key cog and vital to any Hawks success.

He had become their best defenseman and at times their best all-around player, equipped with a brilliant transition game, blazing speed and a complete commitment to puck protection.

He was also, at the time, earning only $1.6 million, less than several Hawks defensemen and far behind one pulling down $7 million. He was due $1.9 million for 2009-10, after which he could become a restricted free agent.

The forecast here at the time was that Keith might ask for $5 million, and that if he got to RFA status, he could be looking at $6 million.

It sounded crazy.

And then the Hawks went to the conference finals and Keith finished fourth in the NHL at plus-33, tops among defensemen.

Duncan Keith had become a star — and not for $6 million. Try $8 million.

On Dec. 3, 2009, the Hawks announced monster extensions for Keith, Toews and Kane. Suddenly, he was in the same headline as the two young stars who had dominated the Chicago hockey scene.

Next came the Olympics in Canada, nearly as big a deal to a Canadian hockey player as skating in the Stanley Cup Finals. It was at home. It was epic.

It would have been something just to represent Canada in Vancouver, but Keith went from being picked for the team to being as important as any member of the squad.

All Keith did was lead Team Canada in ice time, and Canadian defensemen in points and plus-minus.

He played huge minutes when it mattered most and when Canada defeated the U.S. for the gold in OT on Feb. 28, 2010, Keith had become a national hero at home, and the Norris Trophy favorite throughout North America.

Then, there was the small matter of losing half his teeth in the conference finals en route to winning the Stanley Cup, playing 28:11 per game in the postseason (second only to Chris Pronger) while contributing 17 points in 22 games, fourth on the team behind Toews, Kane and Patrick Sharp.

He danced with the Cup, won the Norris Trophy and got about 15 minutes' rest before the 2010-11 season began.

You wonder if he ever took a deep breath.

And that's what happened to Duncan Keith last season, when he rarely looked like the Keith of the previous few years.

In a span of a year and a few months, he went from solid, young, NHL defenseman to big star, huge money, gold medal, Stanley Cup and Norris Trophy.

That's all.

And then he went from averaging a plus-28 the previous three years and 69 points in 2009-10, to 45 points and a minus-1 last season.

Not everyone is made up like Toews. Not everyone can live up to the fame, fortune, stardom and expectations, playing every shift like it's his last, and Keith looked last season like a guy — when he didn't appear exhausted — trying to justify everything he'd earned the previous year.

That's virtually impossible.

So the best thing everyone from Rocky Wirtz to Brent Seabrook — and all in between — could do for Keith is to tell him not to try that again this season.

Go back to doing what you do best and that starts with getting the puck out of your own end. Don't complicate your defense and don't feel like the offense is your responsibility.

Join the play when you can and get pucks on net.

Keep it simple and trust your ability.

Duncan Keith had a year that every hockey player dreams of and few believe possible.

It's among the great seasons by a defenseman in hockey history, but it's over and done with.

He doesn't have to live up to that, and he's not playing the game alone out there, even if it sometimes feels that way.

The Hawks don't need him to be Bobby Orr.

They don't need him to play half the game and be perfect.

They don't need him to live up to any standards that are impossible to meet.

They just need him to be Duncan Keith.

If he does that, their chances of getting to the big dance again are very good indeed.

brozner@dailyherald.com

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