The Edmonton Oilers acquired Chicago Blackhawks star defenseman Duncan Keith on Monday in a trade for defenseman Caleb Jones and a conditional 2021 third-round pick, a source confirmed to ESPN.
Keith waived his no-movement clause to facilitate the trade. There was no salary retained in the trade by Chicago. Keith has two years left on his 13-year contract at $5,538,462 against the salary cap.
Keith, who turns 38 on July 16, has played 1,192 regular-season games in the NHL, all of them with the Blackhawks. He has 105 goals and 520 assists and is a plus-144. Keith won three Stanley Cups with Chicago, capturing the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP in 2015. He won the Norris Trophy as the league’s best defenseman in 2009-10 and 2013-14.
But Keith’s effectiveness as a defenseman has declined for several seasons, and specifically since 2019. His points per 60 minutes and puck-possession numbers have declined in consecutive seasons. His minus-8 goals scored above average was third worst for any NHL player over the past two seasons (minimum 100 games). This season, Keith had 15 points in 54 games, skating to a minus-13 while averaging 23 minutes, 25 seconds per game.
Jones, 24, finished his third NHL season, all with the Oilers, with four assists in 33 games, skating to a career-low 13:36 per game. He has 19 points in 93 games in the NHL, skating to a minus-17.
Jones is the younger brother of Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Seth Jones. The Blackhawks are a rumored destination for Seth Jones, whom the Blue Jackets are expected to trade before next season.