Toews receives fond farewell in final game with Blackhawks

CHICAGO -- Jonathan Toews did a lap around the ice, waving to a United Center crowd standing in appreciation for the captain in his final game with the Chicago Blackhawks on Thursday.

"I told the guys in the room after the game that it just goes to show -- obviously it's more than a game out there when you're able to be part of some special years where you win Stanley Cups and provide a lot of special feelings for the fans, but obviously it's a two-way street," Toews said after
a 5-4 overtime loss
to the Philadelphia Flyers. "We gave our heart and soul and poured everything we had into this team, this organization, this game for a lot of years and to reap the rewards like that, you can't draw it up any better.
"I just hope that those guys I've shared a locker room with for a lot of years felt that, as well, and were able to share that with me tonight."
You could hear a quiver in Toews' voice, only hours after general manager Kyle Davidson announced
the Blackhawks would not re-sign
the forward, who is in the final season of an eight-year contract he signed July 9, 2014. He turns 35 on April 29.
"When Kyle called me into the room when we were on the road [in Seattle] last week and came out with it right away, it caught me by surprise, because I didn't know what he wanted to talk about," Toews said. "But once I took a deep breath and let it sink in, I realized it's just what it is.
"There [are] absolutely no hard feelings. I have nothing but love and gratitude for the Blackhawks and Rocky Wirtz and the Blackhawks family, everyone over the years who's been a part of that. Like I said, you can't ask for more than that. At the end of the day, it's a business. It's a business where you want to win games and you want to go out there and entertain the fans and chase Stanley Cups, and I think it's exciting for me too, at the same time, not knowing what's really around the corner for me personally. But at the same time, it's a new start for the Blackhawks."

It's the end of an era in Chicago. Toews was the final player remaining from the Blackhawks core that helped win the Stanley Cup in 2010, 2013 and 2015. Forward Patrick Kane, Toews' teammate since each debuted in the NHL in 2007-08, was traded to the New York Rangers on Feb. 28.
Toews soaked in the atmosphere from pregame to post. The last player on the ice following warmups, Toews tossed a puck into the stands and did a quick pirouette on the ice before departing. He wore a microphone for the NBC Sports Chicago broadcast throughout the game and got a monstrous cheer after scoring a goal in the second period.
After the game ended, a montage honoring Toews played on the video board. Players from each team remained on the ice to watch.
Then Toews took one last lap.
"The guys were telling me I should do one more lap. I was like, 'That was one too many already right there,'" he said with a laugh. "It was pretty cool. It was overwhelming. I didn't expect that. Really didn't know what to expect tonight, but just tried to focus on the game just as I always do and go out there and create some offense and try and win the game for us.
"Unfortunately, [we] fell a little bit short. Still a pretty special moment for all of us."
Chicago coach Luke Richardson listened in on Toews' final postgame speech, which he hopes resonates with players.
"I think his words were, 'The juice is worth the squeeze,'" Richardson said. "So, I think the guys will hopefully take that and run with it in the future and remember how big a part of it he was here, and they had an opportunity, and I had an opportunity to work with [him] this year and try to use that experience to push us forward."

The No. 3 pick by the Blackhawks in the 2006 NHL Draft, Toews has 883 points (372 goals, 512 assists) in 1,067 career regular-season games with them. He was named captain July 18, 2008, and had 119 points (45 goals, 74 assists) in 137 Stanley Cup Playoff games.
Toews had 31 points (15 goals, 16 assists) in 53 games this season. He announced Feb. 21 he was stepping away from the Blackhawks to deal with the effects of long COVID-19 and Chronic Immune Response Syndrome, which kept him out the entire 2020-21 season.
Toews said "there's no timeline" as far as whether he'll retire or play elsewhere next season. With everything so fresh, he was focused on his final moments with the Blackhawks.
"There's no doubt a moment like that, it's hard to top," he said. "Yeah, I think it's something I'll just let myself sink into with my family. The thought of playing for another team right now is so far in the back of my mind right now, especially after that moment.
"I always thought I'd retire a Blackhawk and part of me still believes in that, so we'll see."
NHL.com independent correspondent Bruce Miles contributed to this report