NHL

Blackhawks legendary defensemen Duncan Keith retires after 17 NHL seasons

By Sports Desk July 12, 2022

Defenseman Duncan Keith announced his retirement on Tuesday after an illustrious 17-year career in the NHL with the Chicago Blackhawks and Edmonton Oilers.

Considered one of the best blue-liners of the past two decades, Keith helped the Blackhawks win the Stanley Cup in 2010, 2013 and 2015, and was awarded the Conn Smythe Trophy in 2015 as the playoff MVP.

He also earned two Norris Trophies in 2010 and 2014, making him one of only 12 players in NHL history to win the award given to the league's top defensemen twice.

A second-round pick by the Blackhawks in 2002, the 38-year-old spent his first 16 seasons in Chicago before being traded to the Oilers prior to last season.

Known as a two-way defenseman and an adept stick-handler, Keith finished his career with 106 goals and 540 assists in 1,256 regular-season games. Since his 2005-06 rookie season, Keith's 646 points and 159 +/- rating both rank fourth among all defenseman, while only Kris Russell blocked more shots (2,044) than Keith's 2,010.

Named one of the 100 Greatest Players during the NHL's Centennial season in 2017, Keith also routinely rose to the occasion and displayed his phenomenal endurance the longer the season went on, adding another 19 goals and 72 assists in 151 playoff games.

During Chicago's run to its third Cup title in a six-year span in 2015, Keith tallied three goals and 21 points in 23 playoff games with a plus-16 rating while averaging 31:07 minutes per game in ice time.

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