Could some veteran Chicago Blackhawks use a rest?

LAS VEGAS — Since they began their Hall of Fame careers 13 years ago, Duncan Keith and Brent Seabrook have played a combined 2,308 games in the NHL.

That includes a combined 249 appearances in the Stanley Cup playoffs.

That's a lot of miles on the tires, and it begs the question: Couldn't they both benefit from a game off here and there? Perhaps play 78-80 games a season instead of all 82?

It's a question I posed to coach Joel Quenneville early in the 2015-16 season, using the San Antonio Spurs' example of resting some of their aging stars to keep them fresh come playoff time.

Quenneville didn't provide much of a response, saying: “We never want to be playing Game 82 to try and get into the playoffs.”

Keith and Seabrook were both in the lineup Thursday when the Chicago Blackhawks played at Las Vegas, one night after losing 4-2 at Anaheim. This was one of 14 back-to-back for the Hawks this season, and Jeremy Colliton's team is about to embark on a nine-games-in-15-days stretch when they host Montreal on Sunday at the United Center.

Both veteran D-men would likely scoff at the idea of sitting out as a healthy scratch. After all, Keith has appeared in 192 of 194 games since the start of the 2016-17 season, and Seabrook has taken part in 965 of 980 games since his rookie campaign.

Yet, one of the more popular answers to my “what's the one thing you'd change in the NHL” question I've been posing has to do with the exhausting schedule.

Corey Crawford wants to get rid of back-to-back games. Jonathan Toews, meanwhile, would love to see teams fly into divisional cities and play twice in three nights.

“It's constant on the plane, on the bus, on the plane, on the bus,” Toews said. “Just for one game here, one game there?

“That's frustrating. If I go to Dallas or Denver or Winnipeg — all those two-hour flights — I'd like to go there, play a couple games and not go back the rest of the year. …

“It just seems like everything's chopped up now. It's brutal.”

Said Crawford of the back-to-backs: “Enough with that. Guys are tired, guys get hurt. It's too high a level to ask these players to compete night in, night out like that. It doesn't make sense.”

Those are eye-opening comments from two well-respected NHL veterans.

One player who admitted a game off did him a world of good was Erik Gustafsson. The 26-year-old defenseman was a healthy scratch against Calgary on Sunday, then came back and scored the Hawks' first goal at Anaheim.

It wasn't just the goal, though. A fresher Gustafsson turned in one of his best overall performances of the season and was named the Third Star of the game.

“We play so many games right now,” said Gustafsson, who worked out with head trainer Paul Goodman when the Hawks played the Flames. “And after that, I felt pretty good. I was tired, but the day after I felt good and motivated. I felt fresh.”

Since about halfway through last season, Keith has struggled with his consistency. Younger, faster forwards are blowing by him at times, and his penchant for turning the puck over in the wrong places at the wrong times has become a much more common theme.

Keith also can't buy a goal. Going into Thursday, he'd scored just twice on 259 shots in his last 121 games. Meanwhile, Seabrook had no goals, 1 assist and a minus-5 rating in his last 10 games. He was a minus-3 at Anaheim.

It obviously wouldn't be easy for a 33-year-old rookie coach like Colliton to tell Keith and Seabrook they're going to sit out. Asked if it's something to consider, he said: “If you're a top team and you didn't have to scratch and claw for every point, then it would be a little easier.”

But the Hawks should seriously consider this move.

As Crawford said, guys are tired.

When Connor Murphy returns, give Keith and Seabrook one night off over the next two weeks and see what happens.

It could result in a refreshing change for a stagnant, struggling team.