Revisiting the Oilers & Blackhawks Duncan Keith Trade

He scored a career-high-16 points in 73 games in 2022-23. His ice time jumped up from just under 17 minutes per game to over 19 minutes. He was a minus-19, but that comes with the territory. He racked up career-highs in blocked shots with 118 and in hits with 116. His tendency to give the puck away showed here and there, but overall the numbers looked very good in that season with the ‘Hawks. He proved to be a real asset in the trade.

After his second season in Chicago is when things unfortunately started to go downhill a little. He spent 2023-24 between the Colorado Avalanche and their AHL team, then the next season with the LA Kings and their farm team, and then last season he played just seven games with the Pittsburgh Penguins and one with their AHL squad. He has faced multiple injuries and a 20-game suspension this past winter for PEDs as well.

He’s under contract for 2026-27 with Pittsburgh, so here’s to hoping he can find some success like he had with Chicago. It has been a wild ride ever since the trade over five years ago.

Oilers Pick Up Keith & Prospect

Keith’s results following the trade are much more short and simple than Jones’. The 2021-22 season saw him playing up and down in the lineup, averaging 19:44 of ice time. He put up 21 points in 64 games. Most of his numbers were down from usual, but that’s a given with a defenseman playing in his 17th season. He still registered 114 blocks and was a plus-15.

Keith was valuable in his role as a veteran leader and intelligent, 200-foot point man. He wasn’t the quickest player on the ice, but he saw the game extremely well and played important minutes for Edmonton. The team made a run in the postseason, but was ultimately swept by the Avalanche in the Western Conference Final. Nonetheless, Keith made an impact and helped the team get its mojo back in the playoffs.

As for the other piece in this trade, there isn’t much to say. Soderlund played just seven games with the Oilers’ AHL affiliate, the Bakersfield Condors, registering 0 points. He would eventually be sent down to the ECHL (ECHL), before heading back overseas where he played before being drafted.

Blackhawks or Oilers: Who Won This Trade?

This is a tough call. The Oilers got one last season out of the Hall of Fame defender in Keith and made it to the Western Conference Final in his only season there. On the other hand, Chicago seemed to bring out the best in Jones despite the unfortunate fallout ever since.

Call me biased, but I’m ruling slightly in favour of Edmonton here. They had Keith help mentor their future number one blue liner in Evan Bouchard and as I mentioned, he helped push them over the hump in the playoffs and that’s still important for the core group they have now. Jones had a couple solid seasons with the ‘Hawks, but he didn’t stick around and he hasn’t panned out like everyone once thought he might.

Five years later: Advantage Oilers.