Toews anticipates ‘very emotional’ return to Chicago with Jets

CHICAGO -- Jonathan Toews circled the date as soon as the Winnipeg Jets forward found out when they’d been visiting the Chicago Blackhawks.

The 37-year-old is expecting plenty of emotions in his first game at United Center on Monday (8:30 p.m. ET; CHSN, TSN3, TVAS) since April 13, 2023. The Blackhawks chose not to re-sign Toews, who was limited to 124 games after Chronic Inflammatory Response Syndrome kept him out of the entire 2020-21 season and from Feb. 21-April 1, 2023, when he was dealing with the effects of long COVID-19.

“It’s almost like I was happy it was later in the season just because I want to play well and I feel I’ve been building my game,” Toews told NHL.com. “There’s a little bit of nerves there with the thought of that game coming up pretty soon, so it’ll be very emotional.

“Obviously, I really want to go out there and play well and do my best, but those ones are always tough to focus on the task at hand with a lot going on around you.”

Toews was paramount in the Blackhawks’ return to prominence. The No. 3 pick in the 2006 NHL Draft, he had 883 points (372 goals, 511 assists) in 1,067 career games with them. Toews helped Chicago win the Stanley Cup in 2010, 2013 and 2015 and was named the Conn Smythe Trophy winner, awarded to the most valuable player of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, in 2010 when he had 29 points (seven goals, 22 assists) in 22 postseason games.

Named one of the 100 Greatest NHL Players in 2017 as part of the League's centennial celebration, Toews became an unrestricted free agent on July 1, 2023. He did not sign with another team but also never officially announced his retirement from hockey.

Toews enters the game Monday with 18 points (seven goals, 11 assists) in 47 games, including nine points (four goals, five assists) in his past 12. He had a goal in four straight games before being held without a point in a 4-3 overtime loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday.

“He's well deserving of the memories he's created throughout those years, a special player, great teammate,” said Anaheim Ducks coach Joel Quenneville, who coached the Blackhawks from 2009-18. “I look back at how fortunate I was to be a part of that team and coaching some great players. And then we have 'Taser' who was one of the all-time great leaders of the sport, and I was just fortunate to be the beneficiary, where he did a lot of stuff that you don't see around the game, whether it's captains or players, of handling situations. He was just a great pro."

Patrick Kane, Toews’ teammate here from 2007-23, expects Monday to be “incredible.” Kane would know; the forward returned to Chicago with the Detroit Red Wings on Feb. 25, 2024, and scored on a breakaway in overtime for a 3-2 victory.

“I mean, you never really know what the reception’s going to be like and how it’s going to feel in the moment,” Kane said. “You can take guesses and kind of think about what it’s going to be like. I remember I did three or four different laps, and they were still cheering, and I’m sure it’ll be the same for him, maybe even more so, right?

“Obviously, he meant so much to the franchise and the teams that won, and just being the captain for so long (2008-23).”

There have been plenty of roster changes in Chicago since Toews’ departure. Of those remaining from his time here, defenseman Connor Murphy, who’s been with the Blackhawks since 2017, played the most with him. They remain good friends, and Murphy said Toews’ connection to the city is something special.

“He’s the one guy that, when I was out with him in public in Chicago, I’ve never seen such a reaction,” Murphy said. “It’s not just that people are fans. They’ll come up to him and give a heartfelt, ‘Thank you for making my life better’ sort of reaction.

“Some people you get the reaction, ‘Hey I’m a big fan, you’re a great player.’ With him, you can see he’s connected with people in the way of what he’s done for them, whether it’s in the community or his game or leadership-wise and what they’ve brought success to that it’s made people’s lives feel more fulfilled. It shows the impact hockey can have and a guy who lives up to the hype as an idol can make on people.”

Former forward Patrick Sharp, who played 10 seasons here with Toews and also won three Stanley Cup championships, is expecting Toews to experience a return similar to Kane’s.

“Because in all moments and the stories I have of Toews, the one that stands out the most is that every time there was a big game, if it was meaningful in the standings, meaningful playoff games, in the middle of a series, maybe just on [Hockey Night in Canada], whatever it was, Jonathan would always come through in the most clutch of times for us,” Sharp said. So, to see him play at the United Center, I know [the crowd] will stand and cheer for as long as Jonny will stand at center ice.

“I expect the Hawks to have a lot of cool videos to cue up to remind everyone of his greatness and yeah, I’m just sure he’ll do something at a clutch moment.”

Toews has moved on with his career, but the memories will certainly come flooding back on Monday.

“I think it’ll be a pretty cool moment for me,” he said. “Again, just being able to have a moment to kind of recognize what the game of hockey does for people in Chicago and what it meant for the city … you make a lot of sacrifices in your life and you kind of put a lot of things on the back burner, but the payoff is incredible to be able to be a part of championship teams that bring such an energy and inspiration to the city.

“I’m looking forward to going back there, playing that [game] and kind of reliving those moments.”

NHL.com columnist Nicholas J. Cotsonika and independent correspondent Dan Arritt contributed to this story