The Duncan Keith conundrum...and other things

On the eve of free agent season, we contemplate the legacy of a player who was part of the 2010 Chicago Blackhawks, plus the Toronto Maple Leafs' perplexing goaltending decision and Valeri Nichushkin

Kyle Beach has claimed that every player in the Blackhawks dressing room knew what was going on in 2010.

On the basis of talent and contribution alone, there is absolutely no doubt Duncan Keith will be among those enshrined in the Hockey Hall of Fame the moment he is eligible in 2025. He belongs with Bobby Hull, Stan Mikita, Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews in the conversation surrounding the greatest Chicago Blackhawks player in history. He really does.

There is very little difference between what Cale Makar did in this year’s Stanley Cup playoffs and what Keith did in 2015. When he was healthy and productive, Keith was a dynamic and dominating force on the blueline. Two Norris Trophies, a Conn Smythe and an enormous role in three Stanley Cups and two Olympic gold medals have cemented his legacy as one of the greatest defensemen in the game. When The Hockey News ranked its top 100 defensemen of all-time, Keith was ranked 26th, seven spots behind Pierre Pilote, who played all but one of his Hall of Fame seasons in Chicago.