Staff
Duncan Keith will have to watch the World Cup of Hockey with the rest of the world instead of playing in it.
The Chicago Blackhawks’ defenceman, who played most of his minor hockey here, withdrew yesterday from Team Canada for next month’s tournament due to needing to continue rehabilitation on a knee injury suffered last season.
According to The Canadian Press, Keith had surgery last October to repair a meniscus tear in the joint of his right knee before returning to the ice in November.
But the report added the blueliner requires more work to have his knee 100 percent for the upcoming NHL season.
Keith notched nine goals and 34 assists for Chicago last season, adding three goals and two assists in six playoff games.
After winning his third Stanley Cup in six seasons in 2015, which led to Keith bringing hockey’s “Holy Grail” here that summer, he and the ’Hawks were unable to defend their Stanley Cup title.
The lost in the first round of last year’s Western Conference playoffs in seven games to the St. Louis Blues.
Blues’ blueliner Jay Bouwmeester was named as Keith’s replacement by Hockey Canada.
The World Cup of Hockey, returning for the first time since 2004, will be played in Toronto from Sept. 17-Oct. 1.
