World Cup of Hockey is set to get underway this weekend and defenseman Duncan Keith won't be a participant for Team Canada due a lingering knee issue.
The question now is if Keith will be ready for the start of the Chicago Blackhawks' season and general manager Stan Bowman was non-committal Thursday following a news conference for Team North America during World Cup Media Day.
"I try not to put any expectations on it," said Bowman, who is GM for North America. "I guess we'll just see. He'll be ready when he's ready. It's nothing to be alarmed about but right now we're not trying to put timeframes on it. We'll have a better feel once we get into exhibition games and if he's ready to play, he'll play."
Keith underwent surgery Oct. 20 to repair a meniscal tear in his right knee that he suffered during the 2015 Stanley Cup Final and missed nearly a month of the '15-16 season. On Aug. 24, Keith withdrew from the World Cup citing the continued recovery of his knee.
"It was Duncan's decision," Bowman said. "It was something where he just didn't feel he would be able to perform to the level that he needs to in a tournament like this. He's the one who has to get on the ice so if he didn't feel he was able to do it then you have to respect that. He's doing better. I think time will tell. I haven't heard any bad news in terms of that. When we're back at the end of this tournament we'll get some updates on his performance."
The two-time Norris Trophy winner as the NHL's top defenseman is the Hawks' workhorse and his absence would immediately test the team's depth on the blue line.
"Your first course of action is to always just see how it reacts," Bowman said of Keith's injury. "You won't know that until you go through time. I think Duncan just felt that it didn't feel where he hoped it would feel when he had to make the call where he didn't want to leave Canada high and dry. He's no different than a lot of our guys that have things that they played through all year long and then nine times out of 10 when they rest up they feel better by training camp. Duncan was one of those guys where it just wasn't up to where he hoped it would be."
