Chicago Blackhawks defenseman Duncan Keith could return to the lineup as soon as Saturday against the St. Louis Blues, according to coach Joel Quenneville, reports Mark Lazerus.
Keith has been out since it was announced on October 20 that he would miss four-to-six weeks with a meniscal tear in his right knee, for which he had surgery. He looks to be a little ahead of that schedule if he’s able to return over the weekend.
The 2015 Conn Smythe winner is a key piece of the Chicago blue line and the team, who currently sit outside of the two wild card spots in the Western Conference, will certainly benefit from inserting him back into the lineup.
Joel Quenneville seemed optimistic that Duncan Keith will play either Saturday at St. Louis or Sunday vs. Calgary. #Blackhawks
— Mark Lazerus (@MarkLazerus) November 10, 2015
While the return of Keith is a boon, the team has reportedly been looking to bring in another defenseman via trade. The Hockey News’ Lyle Richardson writes that the return of Keith won’t stop GM Stan Bowman from working the phones.
Keith has two assists in six games this season, over which he has averaged 24:21 of ice time.