Duncan Keith Traded to Oilers from Blackhawks for Caleb Jones, Draft Pick

The Chicago Blackhawks have traded veteran defenseman Duncan Keith and forward Tim Soderlund to the Edmonton Oilers in exchange for defenseman Caleb Jones and a conditional 2022 third-round pick.

Pierre LeBrun of TSN tweeted details on the conditional pick:

Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet first reported the trade. 

Keith, 37, has spent his entire 16-year career in Chicago. 

Keith is a three-time champion, three-time All-Star, a two-time James Norris Memorial Trophy winner as the top defensive player and the 2014-15 Conn Smythe Trophy as the Stanley Cup playoffs MVP. He's a safe bet to be a Hall of Famer once he retires. 

The question is just how much he'll upgrade Edmonton's blue line at this point in his career:

Everything in Edmonton should be viewed through the lens of maximizing Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl's prime years. The 24-year-old McDavid is the league's best player; the 25-year-old Draisaitl isn't far behind. The pair have won three of the past five Hart Trophies. 

And yet, in their time together the Oilers have won just one playoff series. That is an indictment on the talent the organization has surrounded them with, more than anything else. 

McDavid is under contract through the 2025-26 season, while Draisaitl's deal takes him through the 2024-25 campaign, so the Oilers have some time to build a true championship contender around them. Perhaps the Oilers see Keith's championship experience and his locker room presence as particularly valuable as McDavid, Draisaitl and the Oilers try to take the next step. 

Whether he's able to be a net positive on the ice at this stage in his career remains to be seen. 

As for Jones, his acquisition may be part of a larger plan for the rebuilding Blackhawks:

Regardless, the 24-year-old has appeared in 93 games over the past three years, posting a minus-17 plus-minus.