Chicago Blackhawks center Jonathan Toews and right wing Patrick Kane are signed through next season, but a new contract for each could be signed as early as next week, the Chicago Sun-Times reported Monday.
Toews and Kane each signed five-year contracts with Chicago on Dec. 3, 2009, and the Sun-Times reported they very well may agree to new deals on the same day again. Blackhawks general manager Stan Bowman told the newspaper earlier this month that he would like to have both players signed by July 1.
"We've been kind of going hand-in-hand almost our entire careers," Toews said from Las Vegas on Monday. Toews is in Las Vegas for the 2014 NHL Awards Show on Tuesday. "When we came in as rookies, and we've just been included in the same discussion for a lot of things, namely our second contract, and probably this time again. The chances of that are good. But at the end of the day, he's got his own needs and his own family, and you have to respect that as well."
Next Tuesday is the first day Kane and Toews and eligible to sign new contracts. They finished second and third on the Blackhawks in scoring this season behind right wing Patrick Sharp. Kane had 69 points (29 goals, 40 assists) in as many games; Toews went 28-40-68 in 76 games.
"I'm not going to get into details as far as predicting when it's going to happen," Toews said. "Stan probably has a lot on his docket as the manager of our team, so he's trying to get things done. For us as players, Kaner and I will take it slow and make the right decision. We don't know what that process is going to entail exactly, but I think everyone knows we love Chicago and we understand how much we've been given by the organization and fans. We want to be there for as long as we possibly can be, hopefully our entire careers. That's the priority right there."
NHL.com is the official web site of the National Hockey League. NHL, the NHL Shield, the word mark and image of the Stanley Cup, the Stanley Cup Playoffs logo, the Stanley Cup Final logo, Center Ice name and logo, NHL Conference logos, NHL Winter Classic name, and The Biggest Assist Happens Off The Ice are registered trademarks and Vintage Hockey word mark and logo, The Game Lives Where You Do, NHL Winter Classic logo, NHL Heritage Classic name and logo, NHL Stadium Series name and logo, NHL All-Star logo, NHL Face-Off name and logo, NHL. TV, NHL Premium, NHL After Dark, NHL GameCenter, NHL GameCenter LIVE, NHL Network name and logo, NHL Tonight name and logo, On The Fly, NHL Awards name and logo, NHL Draft name and logo, Hockey Fights Cancer, Because It's The Cup, NHL Green name and logo, NHL Vault, Hockey Is For Everyone, NHL Thanksgiving Showdown name and logo, NHL Centennial Classic name and logo, NHL Centennial Season logo, NHL100 Classic name and logo, NHL Global Series name and logo, NHL China Games name and logo, and Don't Miss A Moment are trademarks of the National Hockey League. All NHL logos and marks and NHL team logos and marks depicted herein are the property of the NHL and the respective teams and may not be reproduced without the prior written consent of NHL Enterprises, L.P. © NHL 2018. All Rights Reserved. All NHL team jerseys customized with NHL players' names and numbers are officially licensed by the NHL and the NHLPA. The Zamboni word mark and configuration of the Zamboni ice resurfacing machine are registered trademarks of Frank J. Zamboni & Co., Inc. © Frank J. Zamboni & Co., Inc. 2018. All Rights Reserved. Any other third party trademarks or copyrights are property of their respective owners. All rights reserved.