TSN's Pierre LeBrun reveals Duncan Keith's true colors with surprising statement

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Joshua Deeds
June 17, 2024 (7:47 PM)

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Kris Knoblauch and the Edmonton Oilers caused a stir in the media after former Blackhawks defenseman Duncan Keith spoke to the team.

Knoblauch mentioned that Keith gave a rousing speech, about the Blackhawks coming from behind series victories in 2011 against the Vancouver Canucks.

The three-time Stanley Cup champion spoke to the Oilers, who have suffered the same fate against the Florida Panthers, down 0-3 in the Stanley Cup Finals.

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He regaled the stories of how the Blackhawks fought against the Canucks in 2011, to force a Game 7 against the team.

They would unfortunately lose in Game 7 due to Alex Burrows overtime shot, but the point stood about the Blackhawks will and determination in that time period.

«I was getting text messages from friends and family saying, �You should go back and give them another speech,'» Keith told The Athletic with a bit of an embarrassed chuckle. «I was like, �What are you talking about?'»

While Keith says he didn't exactly give the team a speech as the media reported, but spoke to individual players in different conversations:

«I went over there to see the guys more than anything, you know, but chatted with a few of the players,» the 2015 Conn Smythe Trophy winner said. «I was walking around talking to different guys. I gave them a little bit of the situation I was in back in 2011 against the Canucks.»

Keith did speak to most of the players on the team in different side chats.

«I just shared how we were down 3-0 and pushed it all the way to Game 7 overtime, and the turning point was that we were fed up,» Keith said. «I was embarrassed of the situation knowing we were defending Cup champs, too, on the verge of getting swept next round (after winning the Cup).

«We were all just kind of pissed off and just playing a little bit angry. When we were able to get that win in Game 4, we started to feel really good about that win. And it just built some good momentum and confidence for our group.»

The Oilers seemed to have tap into the anger, which led to an 8-1 route over the formerly dominant Panthers and re-established themselves in the series.

For Keith and the Blackhawks, they built their confidence with a Game 5 win and built from there.

Which means the Oilers will have to win Tuesday night against the Panthers.

«We had a really good Game 5 in Vancouver, and now you're in a series,» Keith said. «And you've built that confidence up. Once that momentum can shift, you just start building and building.»

Another win in Game 6 at home in Chicago in 2011 made it bedlam.

«It's almost a situation where you believe so much that you can't lose, you know? It goes the other way,» said Keith. «I know that was the case for us. We believed until the very end. When we went to Game 7, I thought it was destiny.»

The Hawks would eventually be ended by Burrows and the Canucks in Game 7. But they did put the fear of god into Vancouver.

Are the Oilers bold enough to do so?