Jonathan Toews is again within the NHL along with his hometown Winnipeg Jets after a two-year absence.
The three-time Stanley Cup champion was launched Friday as the latest member of the Jets, donning a jersey along with his signature No. 19 at a crew information convention.
The Jets introduced their intention to amass the 37-year-old heart final month, however it solely turned official this week, with Toews signing a one-year deal value $2 million, plus efficiency bonuses tied to video games performed and playoff success.
The longtime Chicago Blackhawks captain final performed in April 2023. On Friday, he informed reporters he was simply grateful for the chance to return to the ice, not to mention along with his hometown membership in entrance of family and friends.
“It’s an honor and one which has actually lit that fireside once more, that pleasure for the sport,” Toews mentioned.
“You’ve gotten these moments all through your profession the place I don’t wish to say you get jaded, however you get used to it, and also you type of settle in. That is one other second that type of brings me again to that new feeling such as you’re getting drafted once more.”
Chosen one of many NHL’s high 100 gamers from its first 100 years, Toews performed 15 seasons with the Blackhawks and was one of many faces of the franchise. He additionally helped Canada win gold at back-to-back Olympics in 2010 and ’14.
Toews stepped away from hockey two years in the past citing the consequences of Power Immune Response Syndrome and lengthy COVID-19. His exit coincided with Chicago buying and selling fellow star Patrick Kane and going right into a full-scale rebuild.
Jets basic supervisor Kevin Cheveldayoff known as Toews’ signing an thrilling day for Winnipeg and mentioned it’s one thing he’s been enthusiastic about making occur for greater than a decade.
Cheveldayoff, an assistant GM in Chicago when Toews and the Blackhawks gained the 2010 Stanley Cup, mentioned that when he joined the Jets the next yr, he and crew co-owner Mark Chipman mused about the potential of seeing Toews in a Winnipeg jersey someday.
“At that cut-off date it was merely a dream or an idea,” Cheveldayoff mentioned. “Final week, after we finalized every little thing, I despatched Mark a textual content, and it mentioned ‘Toews is a Jet.’ It was an emotional feeling.”
“Probably the most adorned hockey gamers in Manitoba historical past is coming dwelling.”
Toews is becoming a member of a Jets crew that’s coming off a Presidents’ Trophy-winning season because the NHL’s high regular-season membership. Earlier this week, Winnipeg misplaced a key offensive piece when winger Nikolaj Ehlers signed a six-year take care of the Carolina Hurricanes.
