Keith takes place in Hawks' morning skate

Tell Duncan Keith that he's going to miss 4-6 weeks after having surgery on his knee and you can take one thing to the bank: He's going to do everything in his power to beat that time line.

"You always get a projected time that (a player is) going to miss, and with Duncs you kind of assume it's going to be quicker than that because of the effort he puts in," Jonathan Toews said before the Blackhawks defeated Edmonton 4-2 on Sunday night at the United Center.

Keith, who had a meniscal tear repaired in his right knee on Oct. 20, participated in the Hawks' morning skate and could return as early as Saturday's game at St. Louis. That would be just 3½ weeks post-surgery.

"Good to see that things are going well and he's pushing himself really hard to make sure he's ready when he comes back," Toews said.

Keith told reporters surrounding his locker stall that he was injured during the NHL Final against Tampa Bay when somebody "fell on my leg out of nowhere." It was the calf that bothered him the most at first, but he played through the pain during the remainder of the series and started feeling good over the summer.

But then …

"I started skating hard the last week or so before camp and I really noticed it and it was bothering me a lot," said Keith, who played in the Hawks' first six games of the regular season, registering 2 assists. "It was a mutual decision to try and get it done rather than try to play through something like that all year and now I feel like I can be at my best."

Coach Joel Quenneville said the team has its "fingers crossed" that Keith can play Saturday against the Blues, but that will be better determined when "he gets in some contact with us this week."

Keith didn't look restricted at all on the ice while doing drills with his fellow defensemen Sunday morning.

"I feel good," he said. "I think trainers have helped a lot in preparing to get on the ice. It's a quick turnaround. I try to do a lot of different things to be ready to go, so hopefully it can happen sooner (than expected)."

Toews said just having Keith around again is a morale boost for the team.

"You can just feel his presence. He's a vocal guy," Toews said. "Obviously he brings a lot of personality off the ice, and that's an understatement compared to what he brings on the ice."

Which is more than can be expressed in words, and Keith's void has been more and more noticeable with every game.

At first, the Hawks held their own without the Conn Smythe-winning defenseman, allowing only 2 goals in wins over Florida, Tampa Bay and Anaheim.

Since then, though, it has been an ugly 2-3-1 stretch, with the Hawks blowing a 5-2 lead over St. Louis on Wednesday and coming out completely flat in a 4-2 loss Friday at New Jersey before Sunday's victory.

Of course, Keith hasn't been the only Hawk out of late. Quenneville's squad also sorely missed the presence of Marian Hossa, who returned Sunday after missing three games with a lower-body injury.

When Keith does return, he figures to come back raring to go. Perhaps the forced time off will end up being a blessing in disguise?

"That's one way to look at it, one positive way to look at it," he said. "But at the same time, I didn't feel there was any mental fatigue.

"I think we've been through this situation before where we've had long seasons and a quick turnaround. It was just something now where I can use this time to try to use it the best of my ability, to rejuvenate, so when I come back I can be ready to help the team."

If Keith can't go Saturday, the Hawks play the next night at home against Calgary, then go on their annual circus trip that begins Nov. 18 in Edmonton.