Chicago Blackhawks Captain Toews Ponders Hockey Future, Retirement

CHICAGO — Jonathan Toews has played a major role in the Chicago Blackhawks championship past, but as the season — and possibly the Hawks captain’s NHL career — wind down, Toews future remains anything but certain.

Toews returned to the ice on Tuesday to practice with his teammates for the first time in two months but told reporters that he is focusing on his long-term health after a bout with long-term COVID. Toews has missed the past 25 games due to health issues that he said have drained him of his energy and have thrown him on a physical and emotional roller coaster.

Toews, who has been part of three Stanley Cup championship teams with the Hawks, last played in a game in late January. In February, the Blackhawks issued a statement regarding Toews’ health, saying that he had been dealing with challenges associated with Chronic Immune Response Syndrome and long COVID.

In nearly 15 minutes of speaking with reporters on Tuesday, Toews said that being on the ice has been something he has taken for granted during his NHL career. But after spending the team’s morning skate with his teammates on Tuesday, he said he appreciated being back around familiar faces rather than dealing with the health issues that have kept him away from hockey.

Toews missed the 2020-21 season after doctors diagnosed him with Chronic Immune Response Syndrome, but played in 71 games this year. This season, Toews has played in 46 games and has scored 14 goals and tallied 14 assists.

The Daily Herald reported recently that Toews, 34, is strongly leaning toward retirement, meaning that his time with the Hawks could be ending shortly with only a limited number of opportunities to play in front of fans at the United Center.

“I feel like I’ve said it already, but I’ve gotten to the point where my health is more important,” Toews told reporters, adding, "When day after day you're just pushing through pain, it's like to what end?"

“When you’re young and you’re playing for a Stanley Cup and everyone is playing through something, that means something and it’s worthwhile. But I’m at the point where it feels like more damage is being done than is a good thing.”

Hawks coach Luke Richardson said that the team has been in communication with Toews about his health but that said no timeline for a possible return has been put into place.

The Hawks have nine games remaining and play for the final time at the United Center on April 13 against Philadelphia. Richardson said how Toews responds to workouts will go a long way in determining if he plays again. Toews was limited in the "gory" details he provided to reporters but said he struggled with energy levels and mood in recent months and that the illnesses have taken a toll on him and his ability to cope with the constant on-the-go nature of an NHL career.

Toews said he is just trying to take a day at a time while dealing with health issues that he described on Tuesday as being “a grind.”

“We’ll see how things play out,” Toews said Tuesday. “I can’t get ahead of myself because every time I do, that’s when I create expectations (and) you get on a bit of a mental roller coaster.”