The Chicago Blackhawks are coming off a season in which they finished second to last in points and will be picking third overall in the draft. This comes after selecting first in the 2023 NHL Draft and second in the 2024 NHL Draft.
The Blackhawks have not made the playoffs in five seasons, and if it weren’t for the Covid shortened 2020 season in which the NHL extended the playoffs, the Blackhawks would have been shut out of the playoffs for eight straight seasons. After three Stanley Cups in six seasons, it has been a tough fall from grace for Blackhawks fans.
At the heart of those Stanley Cup championship runs was Captain Jonathan Toews, who was an integral part of each one of those cups. Interestingly today, there was significant news regarding Toews, as Pierre LeBrun broke the news that the Chicago Blackhawks legend is committed to making an NHL comeback and will start talking with teams on a contract for next season.
Jonathan Toews reached out to his agent Pat Brisson yesterday to inform him he's 100 percent committed to coming back to the NHL next season. Just spoke with Brisson, who says he will start taking calls from NHL teams on Toews now leading up to July 1.
Toews, 37, last played in…— Pierre LeBrun (@PierreVLeBrun) May 29, 2025
This is very interesting, as Toews has teased an NHL comeback for quite a while now, but it was officially confirmed today by LeBrun who is well connected within the NHL.
Toews has not played in an NHL game since the 2022-2023 season, where he played in 53 games for the Blackhawks, scoring 15 goals and adding 16 assists. Toews is a Blackhawk legend and one of the best players to ever play for the franchise. Unfortunately, his career was cut short due to injuries and off the ice health difficulties.
Now 37 years old, Toews is looking to make a comeback after 15 NHL seasons. The first thing that crossed many fans minds when this news broke is whether he will make a return to the Blackhawks as a mentor for Connor Bedard and the rest of the young guys. Unfortunately, the answer is likely no to that question, as it seems that Kyle Davidson has tried to start fresh after the scandal that rocked the Blackhawks organization and to let Bedard become the new face of the team.
This same discussion happened with Patrick Kane when he hit free agency after the Blackhawks traded him to the Rangers, but it seems that Davidson has had no intentions of bringing back Kane.
After stepping away from the NHL for 2+ years it is unclear how much Toews has left in the tank. However, there will likely be plenty of teams interested in Toews, especially if he looks half decent in workouts prior to signing a contract.
Toews could be a fantastic third line center for a team trying to get over the hump, as he has tons of playoff experience and he would be a fantastic leader in any locker room. While I’m sure there will be plenty of rumors connecting Toews back to the Blackhawks, it is unlikely that it will come to fruition, especially considering the Blackhawks are still a few years away from Stanley Cup contention.
Regardless of how Toews does with any team he signs with, he has the accolades to be a first ballot hall-of-famer, as he brought Chicago three Stanley Cups and a decade of competitive hockey.
It will be a sight for sore eyes to see Toews in any uniform other than the Blackhawks, but with the way that Davidson has operated in terms of bringing back former Blackhawks, it is likely that will be the outcome, for better or for worse. Toews holds a special place in many Blackhawks fan’s hearts and will be easy to root for next season.
That ship sailed. This is a new generation of Hawks players. This would be an unnecessary distraction. Foligno’s the Captain now until he retires and then it will be one of the kids.