In 2009-10, Duncan Keith was the best defenseman in the NHL. Given the fact that he won the Norris Trophy, which is awarded to the top blue liner in the NHL, that point is pretty much impossible to argue.
Also impossible to shy away from is the fact that Keith experienced a down year in 2010-11. From start to finish, Keith clearly wasn’t the same player that he was when he won the Norris for the Stanley Cup-winning Chicago Blackhawks. It led many to be concerned about the Hawks’ no. 1 d-man.
Was it just an off year, or did the fluke actually take place the year before?
Much of the problem with Keith has already been identified. He has already admitted he didn’t prepare for the season the way he should have, given the short summer after winning the Cup. And it showed on the ice.
Keith had 24 less points than the previous year, posting 45 last year, and saw his plus/minus drop from a plus-21 to a minus-1 on the season. And it could have been worse, had it not been fo...
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