Edmonton Oilers: The Keith trade finally happened, now what?

The Edmonton Oilers made a trade yesterday with the Chicago Blackhawks bringing Duncan Keith to Edmonton.

Duncan Keith is an Oiler, as per TSN. We have to assume that Oscar Klefbom’s career is essentially over as the Oilers are moving on with this acquisition. I’d rather have Klefbom as a player fully recovered, too, but at this point, that’s looking more and more like a non-option, so I guess at some point the team has to move on.

If I had to guess I’d also assume the Oilers will sign Adam Larsson after the expansion draft so they don’t have to protect him. After all, Keith has a NMC so with his acquisition that means the Oilers have no choice but to protect him (and no, people in the comments section, the clause was waived temporarily for this trade, it comes back into effect once the trade is completed).

I have strongly mixed feelings about this trade. Keith’s age is a concern, but apparently, after the spotlight was shined on him as a player, just like Mike Smith, Keith is a fitness freak, so he’s in great shape.

Also in his corner is the fact that the Oilers are planning to use what I’m dubbing the “Kris Russell effect” on Keith – play him in a lesser role see more success. Remember Kris Russell? He was dubbed a failure as he was expected to be a top pairing D-man in Calgary and Dallas, and had failed both times.

The Oilers then came along and signed him to a PTO. With their D corps at the time terrible, Russell impressed the GM of the day enough that he was signed to a one-year contract to see what he could do. Then he was re-signed for $4.1 million for three more years. He plays a pretty physical game, so there was some decline in his play over his time here, which then explains why after his $4 million contract was up after last season he signed for $1.25 million for one more.

The gamble with Russell has largely paid off. Russell was never expected to be a top-pairing d-man here, nor was he expected to put up points consistently. With those two things out of the way, Russell was able to resurrect his career here as a stay-at-home guy who kicks in supplementary offence.

Will the same thing happen with Keith? Hard to say for sure, but the signs are there. The aforementioned fitness level, the fact that he’s coming off a high level of play in the past. The decline in play is concerning, of course, but he’s coming off a higher level than most NHLers. I don’t watch Hawks games, so I can’t say this for sure, but apparently, Keith can still skate, which is a big plus in today’s day and age.