Staff
Fort Frances’ lone representative in the NHL is about to make the Windy City his hockey home for a very long time.
The Chicago Blackhawks were scheduled to hold a press conference today where it was expected they’ll announce contract extensions for three players, including defenceman Duncan Keith, who played his minor hockey here.
Keith’s deal is expected to be a massive 13-year deal worth a reported $72 million, or an average of $5.5 million per year.
It’s a sizable pay raise for the six-foot, 194-pounder, who is earning $1.9 million this season.
Keith, 26, was drafted in the second round (54th overall) by the Blackhawks in 2002.
He’s gradually progressed to the point of becoming one of Chicago’s top defencemen, having played in the 2007-08 NHL all-star game.
He also is considered a good possibility to make the roster for Team Canada for the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver in February.
Keith has five goals and 18 assists in 26 games so far this season, including 12 points in his last nine games, along with a solid plus-nine rating and just 14 penalty minutes.
In 348 career NHL games, he has 36 goals and 115 assists for 151 points.
He also had six assists in 17 playoff games last spring in his first appearance in the post-season.
The Blackhawks, who also were expected to announce today the signing of star forwards Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews to matching five-year deals each worth $6.3 million per year, are only $1.17 million below the NHL salary cap right now.
That means the squad likely will have to trade or waive a player to free up salary space for the trio of new extensions before next year, with defencemen Brent Sopel and Cam Barker mentioned as possible candidates to wind up with new addresses in the near future.
