Blackhawks' Keith makes anticipated return to Chicago originally appeared on NBC Sports Chicago
Duncan Keith returned to the United Center on Thursday for the first time since being traded out of Chicago, where he spent his first 16 NHL seasons. It was a weird sight watching him warm up on the visiting end of the rink and sit on the opposing side of the bench.
As expected, Keith received a warm welcome back from the fanbase when the Blackhawks aired a video tribute during the first TV timeout. A deafening ovation that eventually led to a curtain call, which is a testament to what he accomplished here in this city.
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His current Oilers teammates also showed him great respect by giving him a hero's welcome when the team arrived at the arena on Wednesday for practice. A memorable few days for No. 2.
"I'm just super proud to say that I was a Hawk for as long as I was," Keith told reporters on Wednesday. "To be drafted by that team and spend that many years here, definitely proud of that and all the great teammates that pushed me to become a better player. Obviously those three championships stick out, for sure."
One of those great teammates he played with is Patrick Kane, whose resume is as impressive as Keith's. The two of them will go down as two of the best Blackhawks of all-time and greatest to ever do it at their respective positions.
"Another guy you play with a long time, kind of weird to line up next to him playing on the other team, especially when it was the Olympics and international tournaments," Kane said. "I'm sure he'll get a great welcoming from the crowd. You talk about an amazing teammate, he was one of my favorite teammates over the years. Loved playing with him, loved being on the ice with him.
"He was probably a guy you didn't know to be too funny in the media, but he was really funny in the locker room. Had his own personality and had an amazing career here in Chicago with the Conn Smythe, three Cups and a couple Norris Trophies as well. Looking forward to that welcoming for him."
The legacy Keith left on the Blackhawks organization will carry on forever, but in the immediate future, his impact is still felt.
"His leadership on and off the ice, the way he prepared for games, the way he brought it, left it all on the ice," interim head coach Derek King said before a 4-3 overtime win over the Oilers. "I think that's snowballed into them as a team, their culture or the way they played, you knew what you were going to get from him, you knew what you were going to get from all of his teammates because he pushed them, he pushed them to be the best.
"Guys like him, [Jonathan Toews] and [Brent] Seabrook, you can just name a bunch of players from those Cup days. That eventually is where we need to get back to."
It's not that Keith wanted to leave, but his priorities have changed as he's gotten older. Yes, he's still as competitive as ever and wants to win — which perhaps played a role in the decision — but the biggest reason why he requested a trade to a Western Canadian team is to be closer to his son Colton. Keith was starting to miss out on important moments in his life.
Now, he's got the best of both worlds. He gets to continue doing what he loves while being able to visit his son on a more consistent basis.
"It's been nice, I've been able to see him more frequently," Keith said. "The visits, just being able to get back home for little breaks here and there, so definitely the more frequent time spent with him has been nice. It's been basically everything that I had hoped.
"It feels like yesterday, really, that I was in here just eating pregame meals and things like that," Keith said. "I spent a lot of time here, it's nice to be back. Definitely a unique feeling."
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