Duncan Keith is a fairly private person.
The veteran Blackhawks defenseman keeps a low profile and isn’t a player who jumps at the idea of fulfilling media obligations, but when the NHL paused its season March 12 due to concerns about coronavirus he was left with extra time on his hands. He used that time to be more active on social media, most notably Instagram where he shared 14 posts since May 7. Prior to that, Keith had only made 10 posts since starting his profile Aug. 2, 2016.
“For me, probably more than anything it was just timing in my life. I had the time to do it,” Keith said during a video interview with media after the team’s first training camp practice Monday at Fifth Third Arena. “Focusing on spending time with my son Colton and training and then other than that, you know, I just had nothing really going on.
It’s been a new experience. It’s been fun. It’s been nice to reach out and hear from some of the fans, good or bad, and take it all in. At the end of the day, I think fans what to see that side of a player. If we can help keep hockey on the map and grow the game and those type of things, I think that’s a good thing. It’s been fun more than anything.”
Keith, 36, was the 12th and final defenseman to report to Chicago on Friday for Phase 2 voluntary workouts prior to the team’s training camp starting Monday. He had 27 points (three goals, 24 assists) and averaged 24:23 minutes of ice time in 61 games this season.
Chicago (32-30-8, .514 points percentage) enters the qualifiers as the No. 12 seed in the Western Conference. The Blackhawks will play the No. 5 seed, the Oilers (37-25-9; .585) in one of the eight best-of-five series, with the winner advancing to the playoffs and the loser having a chance at the No. 1 pick in the 2020 NHL Draft in the Second Phase of the NHL Draft Lottery. The series starts Friday, Aug. 1.
Below you’ll see all of Keith’s Instagram posts during the pause.