Blackhawks' Young Defense Reminds Duncan Keith of His Early Years

Keith sees similarities between the current Hawks' defensive corps and the group he joined as a rookie in the mid-2000s.

Apr. 10, 2026 at 11:33pm

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Legendary Blackhawks defenseman Duncan Keith sees a lot of similarities between the current young Hawks defensemen, especially Wyatt Kaiser, and the group he joined as a rookie in the mid-2000s. Keith says this 'great young group of defensemen' will need time to develop the experience and internal competition that helped propel the Hawks to a dynasty, but he's optimistic they can follow a similar path.

Why it matters

The Blackhawks are in the midst of a rebuild, and the development of their young defensive core will be crucial to their future success. Keith's insights, as a Hall of Famer who went through a similar process early in his career, provide valuable perspective on what it takes for a young team to eventually become a contender.

The details

Keith cited specific examples of the Hawks' young defensemen, like Wyatt Kaiser's impressive performance against the Ducks in March 2025, that reminded him of his own early days in the NHL. He noted the size, skating ability, and potential of players like Artyom Levshunov, and emphasized the importance of internal competition and adding the right veteran pieces, like the Hawks did with Marian Hossa, to help the young core develop.

  • In March 2025, Wyatt Kaiser had a dominant performance against the Ducks that established him as an important piece of the Hawks' defensive corps.
  • In January 2026, Keith met Wyatt Kaiser and was impressed by his size and skating ability on the ice.
  • In November 2025, Duncan Keith was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame.
  • On April 10, 2026, Duncan Keith was inducted into the new Blackhawks Hall of Fame.

The players

Duncan Keith

A legendary Blackhawks defenseman who was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2025 and the new Blackhawks Hall of Fame in 2026. He played a key role in the Blackhawks' dynasty era and is now offering his insights on the team's current rebuilding process.

Wyatt Kaiser

A young Blackhawks defenseman who has emerged as an important part of the team's defensive core, with his performance against the Ducks in March 2025 serving as a turning point in his career.

Artyom Levshunov

A 20-year-old Blackhawks defenseman who is part of the team's 'great young group of defensemen' that Keith sees similarities with his own early years in the NHL.

Marian Hossa

A veteran player the Blackhawks added during their dynasty era, which Keith believes the current Blackhawks team could benefit from adding a similar type of player to help their young core develop.

Kyle Davidson

The Blackhawks' general manager, who will be tasked with making the necessary moves to help this young Blackhawks team reach its full potential, as Keith suggests.

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What they’re saying

“They've got a great young group of defensemen. You look at the size of some of these guys and the way they can skate and how young they are. [Artyom] Levshunov is, what, 20 years old?”

— Duncan Keith, Legendary Blackhawks Defenseman

“It's going to take a few years to get that experience and that internal competition to push one another for each other for ice time. I see a lot of similarities with our young group that we had when I started out on this team.”

— Duncan Keith, Legendary Blackhawks Defenseman

“Certainly, Connor [Bedard] has shown improvement in his game and that drive and motivation [to] be a good leader for this group. But it's going to take everyone to step up.”

— Duncan Keith, Legendary Blackhawks Defenseman

What’s next

The Blackhawks' front office, led by general manager Kyle Davidson, will need to carefully evaluate the team's young defensive core and determine the best way to support their development, potentially by adding veteran pieces similar to how the team added Marian Hossa during its dynasty era.

The takeaway

Duncan Keith's insights into the Blackhawks' current young defensive group provide valuable perspective from a Hall of Famer who went through a similar rebuilding process early in his career. While the team's current crop of defensemen shows promise, it will take time and the right veteran additions for them to develop into a contending unit, just as it did for Keith and the Blackhawks in the mid-2000s.