Reports hint at Jonathan Toews signing in Canada
The veteran forward announced his comeback on Thursday and suitors are lining up, though he may already have a prefered landing spot. Full story below:
Veteran forward and free agent Jonathan Toews has committed to coming back to the NHL next season and his agent Pat Brisson is already speaking with interested teams on where he could sign leading up to July 1.
Toews, whose recovery started with a trip to India where he underwent “an Ayurvedic detox called a Panchakarma”, has been training hard to return to the NHL . In 2022-23, he played out the last of an eight-year, $84 million contract he signed with the Blackhawks in 2014 that carried an AAV of $10.5 million, after missing the 2020-21 bubble season while recovering from COVID-19 and chronic immune response syndrome. He was then informed by general manager Kyle Davidson prior to the team’s final game of the season that he would not be re-signed. In August of 2023, Toews announced that he was stepping away from hockey “to give myself the time and space to fully heal and enjoy life to the fullest once again.”
While we know the return won’t be with the Blackhawks, many suitors are believed to be in the mix, with Pierre LeBrun and Darren Dreger reporting that the Winnipeg Jets will be front and centre when the time comes. On Thursday, LeBrun reminded fans that the Jets pursued pending unrestricted free agent Brock Nelson ahead of the trade deadline, before he ultimately chose to go to Colorado and Toews could now fill the team’s search for a second-line centre.
It would almost be a fairytale for Toews, who is a Winnipeg native and has connections with GM Kevin Cheveldayoff dating back to their time with the Blackhawks.
However, the Toronto Maple Leafs are also believed to be in the mix. LeBrun also noted that the Leafs are among the teams Toews would be “willing to consider” in his return to the NHL.
The Maple Leafs and Jets may not be the only Canadian teams looking to go after Toews as the Edmonton Oilers could also be in the mix, seeing that Toews’ former GM in Chicago, Stan Bowman, is now the general manager in Edmonton.
Toews would be a tremendous addition to any NHL roster with his Stanley Cup three times (2010, 2013, 2015) he won with the Blackhawks. He also won the Conn Smythe Trophy in 2009-10 and the Frank Selke Trophy in 2013. He has played his entire career with the Blackhawks after he was selected third overall by the club in the 2006 NHL Draft. He recorded a total of 372 goals and 511 assists over 1,067 games.
