Keith surprised by all-star selection

Duncan Keith couldn't figure out why he was being called into Blackhawks general manager Dale Tallon's office Thursday morning.

Tallon couldn't be trading his best defenseman, could he?

"It actually ran through my head for a split second there," Keith said.

As it turned out there was nothing for Keith to worry about. The news was good -- great, actually, for him -- as Tallon told Keith that he had been added to the Western Conference all-star team for the Jan. 27 NHL All-Star Game in Atlanta.

"I was a little bit worried there when they said Dale wanted to talk to me in his office," Keith said. "He held out his hand and said congratulations, and I didn't really know for what. He said for the All-Star Game, and I was pretty happy."

As the only Hawk named to the team, Keith was recognized for his strong play over the first half of the season. The 24-year-old veteran has 5 goals, 11 assists and is a team-leading plus-14 in 43 games.

It's Keith's first all-star selection. He will join a roster of Nicklas Lidstrom, Chris Pronger, Dion Phaneuf, Ed Jovanovski and Sergei Zubov on defense for the West.

"It means a lot to me," Keith said. "Growing up as a kid you watch all those guys and now I'm going to be out there. It's something I never really thought about too much. You just want to make the NHL and do well and help the Blackhawks out. It's definitely a special feeling to get to the All-Star Game."

Not many Hawks have worked harder than Keith to become a top defenseman in the NHL. He always had the speed and quickness, but it was former coach Trent Yawney who helped Keith become one of the best users of the stick in the league.

Yawney once said that Keith closed on opponents as quickly as Chris Chelios.

Keith also is one of the most fit Hawks. He has the stamina to play 30-35 minutes a game and never look tired.

"He's earned it. He's worked hard and had a great year," Tallon said. "And he's only going to get better. This is really going to help his confidence. He's really made himself into quite a player."

The Hawks hoped to get Patrick Sharp on the West team as well, but it didn't happen despite the center's league-leading 7 short-handed goals.

"We have a number of guys that could have gone, but Dunc is well deserving," Sharp said. "It would have been nice and a great achievement, but that's not what I play for. I play to help us win games."

At 6-feet and 187 pounds, Keith may not be a prototypical No. 1 defenseman, but his value to the Hawks is as one.

"Dunc does a lot of things on and off the ice to make himself better, and I give him a lot of credit," Tallon said.

"Dunc has really stepped into a great group of players here to be chosen, and he deserves it," coach Denis Savard said. "I'm proud of him, and his teammates know he deserves it."

This is Keith's third season. He has improved each year.

"I kind of thought a guy like Sharpie would get to go," Keith said. "But I'm definitely going to relish it and enjoy it. What makes it feel nice, I guess, too, is that if you work hard good things will happen, and today it did for me."

Tonight's faceoff

Blackhawks vs. Minnesota Wild at the United Center, 7:30 p.m.

TV: None

Radio: WSCR 670-AM

The skinny: The Hawks haven't seen the Wild since a 1-0 opening-night loss at the Excel Energy Center. The Hawks are catching Minnesota on the second night of back-to-back games with the Wild having played in Detroit on Thursday night. Nikolai Khabibulin starts in goal for the Hawks, trying to improve his .901 save percentage and snap the team's seven-game losing streak. Minnesota's power play ranked No. 5 prior to Thursday's games.

Player to watch: Patrick Kane. The Hawks' rookie has just 2 goals in the last 26 games and will skate with Martin Havlat and Robert Lang.

Next: Nashville Predators at the Sommet Center, 7 p.m. Sunday

-- Tim Sassone