Duncan Keith offered in-person hearing by NHL player safety

The NHL’s Department of Player Safety has offered Chicago Blackhawks defenseman Duncan Keith an in-person hearing for Keith’s high-stick of Charlie Coyle’s face in a Tuesday game at the Minnesota Wild.

This means Keith’s infraction could require a six-game suspension or more. Chicago has five games remaining in the regular season. 

The play happened at the 9:27 mark after Coyle hit Keith to the ice with a body check. Keith then used his stick to hit Coyle on the nose. Coyle drew blood on the play. Keith received a five-minute major and was ejected.

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Keith can opt for a phone hearing instead. 

Wrote TSN’s Kerry Fraser:

Once Keith landed on his back, there was a momentary lapse in time prior to the retaliatory action taken. This ‘delay,’ prior to committing an aggressive, violent act can become one component in how a referee will judge a player’s attempt to injure his opponent. The second major element in the referee’s judgment to assess a match penalty is the execution of a deliberate, violent act whereby the player attempted to or deliberately injured his opponent. 

Keith had that moment in time to decide his next course of action. It was beyond just a poor decision to swing his stick from a low position with significant or even full force and strike Coyle directly in the face. It was highly dangerous.

Keith was most recently suspended one game during the 2013 Western Conference Final for a “retaliatory” high-stick on Los Angeles Kings forward Jeff Carter. He was also suspended five games for an elbow to the head of Vancouver Canucks winger Daniel Sedin in 2012.

Losing Keith for any time could slow the Blackhawks as they move towards the playoffs. They’ve won three games since March 9, and are without starting goaltender Corey Crawford, who has a reported head injury.  Defenseman Brent Seabrook sat Tuesday’s game with an illness.

The Chicago Tribune pointed out the challenges of life without Keith.

What’s more, Keith’s anticipated extended absence exacerbates the seasonlong misery of the hole at the No. 4 defense spot where Johnny Oduya used to be. Nobody has filled it. Everybody has looked bad there. The Hawks would get more reliable play from a hologram of Oduya.

The Hawks’ offense starts with their defense, but there’s no offense if they can’t clear the defensive zone with control and carry it into the offensive end the way puck-possession teams must. Like that, the Hawks' five-on-five scoring has been neutered most of the season.

They are six points back of the St. Louis Blues and Dallas Stars for first place in the Central Division and four points ahead of the Nashville Predators for the top Wild Card spot.

If Chicago drops into the Wild Card they could face the Los Angeles Kings, Anaheim Ducks or San Jose Sharks in the first round. The Hawks and Kings have alternated Stanley Cup victories since 2012.

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Josh Cooper is an editor for Puck Daddy on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter! Follow @joshuacooper