Jonathan Bryan Toews is a Canadian professional ice hockey center. Toews most recently played for the Chicago Blackhawks of the National Hockey League (NHL), where he served as captain from 2008 until 2023.
Toews has represented Canada in international competition, winning gold medals at the 2005 World U-17 Hockey Challenge, 2006 and 2007 World Junior Championships, 2007 World Championships, 2010 (best forward), and 2014 Winter Olympics. In 2017, he was recognized as one of the top 100 NHL players.
On December 29, 2020, just before the start of the COVID-19 pandemic-shortened 2020-21 season, the Blackhawks announced that Toews would be out indefinitely while recovering from an undisclosed illness.
He missed the entire season before announcing in June 2021 that he had chronic immune response syndrome (CIRS) and planned to return for the 2021-22 season.
In September 2021, he stated that an antibody test showed he had COVID-19. On March 31, 2022, Toews played his 1,000th regular-season game.
Toews appeared in 71 Blackhawks games, scoring 12 goals and 25 assists for a career-low 37 points. He also had a 57% faceoff win rate, ranking third in the NHL among centers with at least 1000 draws.
What happened to Jonathan Toews?
Jonathan Toews, the former Chicago Blackhawks captain, has announced on social media that he will take a break from hockey during the 2023-24 season but will not retire.
Toews has spent the previous 15 seasons with the Blackhawks. He captained the Blackhawks from 2008 to 2023.
Can Toews still play in the NHL?
Yes, even at 35, with his two-way game in steep decline and with all of his health issues, he would be a pretty darn good bottom-six center for a contending team, a guy who could play 15 minutes a night and either kill penalties or play down low on the power play (probably not both anymore).
Yes, he is a shell of the player he once was; he managed 15 goals and 31 points in 53 games last season, frequently playing alongside AHL talent.
Regardless of how much he can produce, you can be sure there are general managers and coaches around the league who would love to have Toews’ leadership and experience in their locker rooms. Few players in the league are as well-regarded as Toews.
However, the question is not whether he can play, but whether he wishes to play. Whether he thinks his body can hold up for another full season, whether he’s willing to take on a lesser role on the ice and in the room after being The Man in Chicago for the entirety of his career. Throughout his illness, Toews has insisted that he can be a great player again.
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