The Curious Case of Jonathan Toews
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While still unsure of his immediate future, it is clear that longtime Chicago Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews is nearing the end of his NHL career. Ever since the Chicago icon dealt with COVID-19 and the severity of its aftermath, Toews has been missing a stride in his skate. It was quite difficult for not only Blackhawks fans, but all NHL fans to realize that “Captain Serious” is not invincible. As he is currently an unrestricted free agent, Toews has a huge decision to make. Jonathan Toews is a player for the history books and that will not change, no matter the outcome of his decision.
Just three months before free agency struck, the Chicago Blackhawks officially decided that the team would not re-sign Jonathan Toews, and likely be without a captain in the upcoming season. While obviously an adjustment for the Chicago club, this decision was and still is quite an adjustment for Toews. For the first time in his career, the future Hall of Famer does not have the security of the city where he has won three Stanley Cup championships and called home for over 15 years.
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If Toews ends his NHL career with only one team on his impressive resume and decides to retire, it will not come as a shock to many. Just two seasons ago, the Chicago captain had to miss the entire 82-game year due to struggling with chronic immune response syndrome. Not only that but the days of prime Jonathan Toews have been long gone. In the 2019-20 season, he scored less than 20 goals for the first time in his career, and that trend continued in the following seasons. After radio silence in 2020-21, Toews has recently been quite transparent about his health and remaining passion for the game. Both are understandably not at the level they used to be, so it is a safe bet to assume that retirement is a legitimate option for the 35-year-old.
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Toews deciding to continue playing in the NHL, even if it is just for one more season, would be a bigger shock to many than retirement. However, nothing is off the table. The forward can absolutely still produce at an NHL-caliber level and provides a ton of valuable off-ice characteristics as well. He is a three-time Stanley Cup champion, has won the Conn Smythe, Mark Messier Leadership Award, Selke Trophy, and was named to be one of the greatest 100 NHL players of all time. Jonathan Toews would be beneficial to any team that has a mutual interest. The question becomes, though, where will he end up? As one of the most desired free agents left on the market, Toews likely has many teams to choose from.
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As a Manitoba native, the Winnipeg Jets seem like a fitting spot for Jonathan Toews to spend the rest of his NHL career. With veterans like Blake Wheeler and Connor Hellebuyck on their way out, bringing in Toews would be a smart move. Not only is he one of the most raved-about leaders in NHL history, but the Jets are in the market for a star center along with Mark Scheifele. The ex-Blackhawk is still dominant at the faceoff dot and can be an asset to any pair of wingers. With a little more than $8 million in cap space available, the Winnipeg Jets could be a strong contender in the Jonathan Toews sweepstakes.
The Edmonton Oilers have been linked to Jonathan Toews for a few weeks now, and it makes perfect sense. The Oilers have an incredibly solid one-two punch with Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl but have not found the right combination in their bottom six just yet. Bringing in Toews can alleviate some of the pressure that he experienced in Chicago, being a top-six forward every night, despite not being 100 percent health-wise. He is a reliable penalty-killer, a two-way forward, and an experienced veteran. With all of these strengths, the rising Canadian team would appear quite foolish to not at least look into making Jonathan Toews an Oiler.
Jonathan Toews is taking this process one day at a time, understandably so. In his 16 years of being an NHL player, he has never experienced a city other than Chicago, nor being a free agent. On top of that already overwhelming new experience, Toews must take his health and remaining joy for the game of hockey into account. Whether he decides to retire or sign with a new team, Toews’ impact will be remembered. He is a shoo-in for the Hockey Hall of Fame and will absolutely have his iconic #19 retired by the Chicago Blackhawks. The legacy of Jonathan Toews has already been cemented, it is now just a matter of if he wants to continue to live it out or let it conclude.
