Right before Friday’s puck drop in Winnipeg, the Chicago Blackhawks learned the fate of their star defenseman. Duncan Keith was banned six games — five regular-season contests and one playoff game — for hitting Minnesota’s Charlie Coyle in the face with his stick Tuesday.
Most Blackhawks fans probably breathed a sigh of relief, and Keith’s suspension could have been much worse. If he was forced to miss an extended postseason period, that, along with the uncertainty surrounding Corey Crawford’s health, probably would have sank the Blackhawks in the opening round.
Ultimately, we shouldn’t have been surprised at the length of Keith’s suspension.