Chicago Blackhawks stud defenseman Duncan Keith will return to the lineup for Saturday's game against the Central Division-rival St. Louis Blues, the team announced on Friday.
The Blackhawks also activated veteran blue-liner Michal Rozsival from long-term injured reserve earlier on Friday. In corresponding moves, Chicago sent fellow defensemen Viktor Svedberg and Erik Gustafsson to Rockford of the American Hockey League.
Keith had been cleared for contact earlier in the week following surgery on Oct. 20 to repair a torn meniscus in his right knee. The Blackhawks posted a 5-4-1 mark without the reigning Conn Smythe Trophy winner, who will be activated off long-term injured reserve on Saturday prior to the game.
"We'll keep an eye on him for sure," coach Joel Quenneville told reporters about Keith's ice time on Saturday.
A two-time Norris Trophy winner, Keith has notched two assists in six contests in 2015-16 and was averaging a team-high 24:21 of ice time at the time of his injury.
Sidelined with a left ankle fracture, Rozsival suffered his injury during Game 4 of the second-round series versus the Minnesota Wild.
