Jonathan Toews had circled the date of his return to Chicago when he signed a contract with the Winnipeg Jets. Then he forgot about her as she approached.
“I was focusing on the next game coming up, and at one point, it was this one. So here we are,” he said.
Toews was in Chicago on Monday for his first game since signing a contract with the Jets on July 1. The 37-year-old forward spent his first 15 seasons in the NHL with the Blackhawks, winning three Stanley Cups.
“It’s a special situation. Obviously not every game is like this one, Toews pointed out. It’s clear that I want to play well, to win the match. So you have to maintain a certain level of concentration and not get distracted by everything that is happening around. »
Toews was the Hawks’ first pick, third overall, in 2006. The selection marked the start of the club’s rise to the top of the Bettman League. He was only 20 years old when he became the team’s 34th captain in July 2008.
He was part of the core of the club which allowed it to experience the best streak in its history, winning the Stanley Cup in 2010, 2013 and 2015. The Blackhawks also reached the West final in 2014, losing in seven games to the Los Angeles Kings.
“I am filled with gratitude,” Toews noted. (…) I always try to be grateful to have been placed at the heart of an incredible opportunity. I can give myself credit. I had a huge desire to succeed and a lot of energy. But it was also a perfect storm, all these great players coming together at the same time. »
Toews missed the 2020-21 season and part of the 2022-23 season due to symptoms of long-term COVID-19 and chronic inflammatory response syndrome. The Hawks announced before their final game of 2023 that it was going to be Toews’ last with the team.
After a few years away from hockey, Toews is getting used to life in Winnipeg and his return to the NHL. In 47 games this season, he has scored seven goals and added 11 assists. He notably scored in four consecutive games before being shut out in his last outing, Saturday, a 4-3 loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs
“I think I’m getting more and more comfortable and I’ve found my role on this team. »
