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Jonathan Toews had marked his return to Chicago on his schedule following his signing with his native Winnipeg Jets. Yet, as the date drew nearer, the anticipation faded into the background.
“I was primarily concentrating on the upcoming match, and then it suddenly arrived. So, here we are,” he commented.
And indeed, here he was.
Toews made his comeback to Chicago on Monday, playing his initial game at his original NHL arena subsequent to joining Winnipeg on July 1. The veteran 37-year-old forward dedicated his initial 15 seasons to the Blackhawks, securing three Stanley Cup championships.
“This is an unusual circumstance. Matches of this nature aren’t an everyday occurrence, clearly,” Toews stated.
“The challenge is balancing the desire to perform strongly and secure a victory on the ice with the necessity to maintain concentration and avoid becoming overly sidetracked by the surrounding events.”
Chicago chose Toews as the third overall pick in the 2006 draft, marking an early significant event in the team’s ascent to prominence within the NHL. He was merely 20 years old when he was appointed the 34th captain in the franchise’s history in July 2008.
Toews belonged to a foundational squad that assisted Chicago in achieving the most successful period in the franchise’s existence, clinching the Stanley Cup in 2010, 2013, and 2015. Additionally, the Blackhawks advanced to the Western Conference finals in 2014, where they were defeated by the Los Angeles Kings in a memorable seven-game contest.
“I am immensely thankful, truly appreciative…. I constantly strive to be aware that I was presented with an extraordinary chance,” Toews remarked.
“I do acknowledge my own efforts; I certainly possessed considerable determination and vigor when commencing my career as a young player in Chicago, but it was truly a perfect convergence of circumstances. We were fortunate to have numerous exceptional athletes discovering their potential and establishing their careers concurrently.”
The Blackhawks honored those Stanley Cup-winning squads on Saturday evening as a component of the celebrations commemorating the franchise’s centennial year. Consequently, Toews had the chance to reconnect with several of his former colleagues on Sunday.
Formerly known as “Captain Serious” — a moniker that diminished as his true character emerged throughout the years — Toews was absent for the entire 2020-21 season and a portion of the 2022-23 season due to what he characterized as enduring COVID-19 symptoms and chronic immune response syndrome.
Prior to their 2023 season’s concluding match, the Blackhawks declared that it would mark Toews’ final appearance with the club, and he received an outpouring of applause despite a 5-4 defeat against Philadelphia.
“He is the sole teammate I’ve encountered where, in public, individuals don’t merely express being ‘great admirers.’ They often convey a heartfelt gratitude to him,” commented Blackhawks defenseman Connor Murphy.
“They will quite literally utter, ‘Thank you for enhancing my life.’ Such is the sentiment people articulate to him.”
Following a hiatus of several years, Toews is acclimatizing to his new environment with Winnipeg as he makes his comeback to the NHL. He found the net in four successive matches until he failed to register a point during Saturday’s 4-3 overtime defeat against Toronto.
“I believe that with the passage of time, I have grown more at ease, rediscovered my playing style, integrated myself, and established a position within this squad,” he stated.
