Jonathan Toews Returns To Practice With The Blackhawks’ Rebuild In Full Swing

With just over two weeks left in the Chicago Blackhawks’ 2022-23 season, Jonathan Toews returned to practice with his teammates on Tuesday. It’s a positive step, but it’s still not clear whether he’ll be able to get back into game action before the end of this season.

The longtime Chicago captain, who turns 35 on Apr. 29, hasn’t played in two months. On Feb. 19, he issued a statement through the Blackhawks, saying that he was dealing with symptoms of long COVID-19 and chronic immune response syndrome. He also missed the entire 56-game season in 2020-21 as he dealt with the effects of COVID-19.

Toews returned to action in 2021-22, putting up 37 points in 71 games. This season, he added 28 points in 46 games before shutting himself down in late January.

Speaking to the media on Tuesday, Toews said that he had lost the ability to recover effectively between games.

“It just got to the point where I couldn’t move on the ice,” he said. “I didn’t even want to put on my skates or go out of bed to come to the rink, so it was pretty rough for a bit.

“I think it probably took a couple weeks of just wrestling in my own mind, trying to figure out what the decision was — if I should keep trying to push through it, which really didn’t feel like an option anymore, or pulling the plug and trying to focus my energy on getting better.”

Eight games remain in the Blackhawks’ regular season, with four on home ice at the United Center. As he plays out the final weeks of an eight-year contract which carries a cap hit of $10.5 million per season, his uncertain future factors into his motivation to suit up again.

“Even a couple weeks ago, it was in my mind that I made the decision to put myself first to try and take care of the body and do what’s right for myself,” he said. “It wasn’t an easy decision, especially given the situation — where your team is and how things are going. Everyone’s going through something. Everyone’s battling something. So it’s hard to let your teammates down.”

But time marches on. And there are no guarantees he’ll be back in a Blackhawks uniform next season.

“Having said that and just kind of getting down to the last few games, the thought kind of crossed your mind that this could be it for Chicago,” he admitted. “It’s definitely important to get out there and really soak that in and enjoy, and show my appreciation for the fans as well.”

Known for his no-nonsense approach which earned him the nickname ‘Captain Serious’ early in his career, Toews was awarded the ‘C’ in just his second NHL season, in 2008. The club immediately snapped a five-season stretch without a playoff appearance, reaching the Western Conference Final in 2009. One year later, at age 22, Toews was named the Conn Smythe Trophy winner as the Blackhawks celebrated their first Stanley Cup win since 1961. Led by Toews and sharpshooter Patrick Kane, Chicago would also win championships in 2013 and 2015.

The Blackhawks and the Pittsburgh Penguins (2009, 2016, 2017) are the only teams to win three NHL titles since the salary cap was introduced in 2005.

Drafted one year apart, Toews and Kane were an inseparable duo. They even shared the same agent, and signed their identical $84-million contract extensions together on July 9, 2014. But while Toews was away from the team this winter, and with Chicago far outside the postseason picture, Kane made the difficult decision to accept a trade to the New York Rangers and give himself a chance to chase another Stanley Cup. He has five goals and nine points in 13 games so far with his new team.

On Wednesday, Toews acknowledged how strange it felt to watch his running mate leave town.

“I was definitely shocked,” he said. “Then I realized that this is for real, and you see him in a New York Rangers jersey and yeah, it looks good on him. I hate to say that, but happy to see him enjoy himself, and New York’s got some really good players.”

Sitting second or third in Blackhawks history in a number of statistical categories, Kane was rumored to have expressed a strong interest in staying with the organization beyond this season to chase those all-time records. But after the Blackhawks began cleaning house in 2021 amidst the fallout from the sexual misconduct investigation regarding former prospect Kyle Beach back in 2010, the organization has stripped its roster down to the studs and traded away virtually every player who had market value.

The goal has been to get younger and make a fresh start — and to sink as low in the standings as possible this season, to maximize the chances of winning the draft lottery and the opportunity to select hockey’s next presumed mega-star, Connor Bedard.

As much as it can be controlled, that part of the plan is working. Since the Mar. 3 trade deadline, the Blackhawks have a league-worst .269 points percentage off a record of 3-9-1 over 13 games. They’re scoring just 2.15 goals per game, their power play is clicking at just 5%, and their six-game losing streak has slotted them into the second-lowest spot in the NHL standings going into games on March 29. They’re one point ahead of the Columbus Blue Jackets, with one extra game played.

The team that finishes last in the standings will receive a 25.5% chance of winning the draft lottery and that first-overall pick on May 8. Finishing second-last drops those odds by nearly half, to 13.5%, and the odds continue to decrease from there.

All 16 non-playoff teams will be eligible for the draft lottery, but a winning team cannot move up more than 10 places. Only the bottom 11 teams will have any chance at the prize of Bedard, who lit up the 2023 World Junior championship at the beginning of the year and outpaced Connor McDavid’s draft-eligible season in 2014-15 with 71 goals and 143 points in 57 games with the Regina Pats of the Western Hockey League.

The 2023 NHL draft will be held June 28-29 in Nashville. Toews is set to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1.