Blackhawks’ Duncan Keith gets six-game suspension, will miss first game of playoffs

When the Stanley Cup playoffs begin later this month, the Hawks will be without defenseman Duncan Keith, the reigning Conn Smythe Trophy winner -- but only for one game.

The NHL suspended Keith six games Friday for a high-stick on Wild center Charlie Coyle that drew a match penalty in the first period of the Hawks’ 4-1 loss to the Wild on Tuesday. The ruling came down after Keith held a hearing over the phone Friday afternoon with the NHL’s Department of Player Safety.

Since only five games remain for the Hawks in the regular season, the suspension means they will be without Keith, one of their top defenseman, for the first game of the first round.

While lying on the ice during Tuesday’s game, Keith swung his stick and connected with Coyle’s face after Coyle appeared to trip Keith. Coyle was able to return to play following the high stick, which caused a cut across his nose, but the league felt Keith’s infraction was worthy of a significant punishment.

“This is an intentional and retaliatory act of violence by a player with a history of using his stick as a weapon,” the league said in a video announcing the suspension.

Working against Keith in the review process was his prior history of questionable plays that drew suspensions.

Keith was suspended for a game during the Western Conference finals in 2013 for high sticking the Kings’ Jeff Carter and in 2012 he was suspended five games for elbowing the Canucks’ Daniel Sedin.

The league said Keith was pushed to the ice before the play by a combination of a “light shove” from Coyle and Coyle’s stick getting caught with Wild defenseman Marco Scandella. In essence, the league said Coyle did nothing dirty to cause Keith to fall.

But the league said no matter what, Coyle’s actions before Keith’s high stick were “irrelevant” when considering Keith’s infraction. Keith was in control of his stick the entire time and he “dangerously and violently” slashes his stick into Coyle’s face.

During his defense, a source said Keith said nothing about being cross checked or “slewfooted” to the ice by Coyle, a popular defense of fans trying to explain why Keith acted the way he did. Instead, Keith only mentioned being tripped.

Keith waived his right to an in-person hearing with the league to discuss the hit on Coyle and opted to defend himself over the phone. He forefeits $148,883.35 in salary that will go to the Players’ Emergency Assistance Fund. It is unknown if Keith will appeal the suspension. A potential appeal could take longer than the suspension lasts.

The Hawks have already played a significant stretch of the season without Keith. After Keith had knee surgery in October, he missed 10 games and over that span the Hawks went 5-4-1 without him. But they will miss him, for one game, when they need him the most.