Jonathan Toews

 

Jonathan Toews 'soaks in' cheers in final game with Blackhawks

CHICAGO -- Jonathan Toews took multiple small laps and waved to the fans as they chanted "Jonny! Jonny!" He patted his coronary heart and held his stick within the air because the crowd roared.

Toews played one final game with Chicago on Thursday, ultimate out a wildly a hit run that included 3 Stanley Cup championships in 15 seasons. The captain turned into showered with cheers all night long as the Blackhawks lost 5-4 to the Philadelphia Flyers of their season finale.

"It's almost difficult to simply accept that love and that reward," Toews stated. "So I tried my exceptional to simply soak it in."

General supervisor Kyle Davidson announced in advance in the day that the crew could now not re-signal Toews, who turns 35 on April 29. The middle is eligible without cost enterprise after agreeing to an $84 million, 8-year settlement extension in July 2014.

"I think phrases fail to thoroughly summarize everything that Jonathan's done for the business enterprise, the wonderful memories that he furnished," Davidson said. "He'll be a Blackhawk all the time."

Once nicknamed "Captain Serious" -- a reputation that faded away as he confirmed extra of his personality over time -- Toews ought to decide to retire after lacking a bit of this season with what he defined as symptoms of long COVID-19 and persistent immune reaction syndrome. He additionally missed the 2020-21 season because of the ones equal fitness issues.

"The idea of playing for any other crew proper now is to this point within the lower back of my mind right now, especially after that moment," Toews stated. "I usually notion I'd retire a Blackhawk and part of me nevertheless believes in that, so we're going to see."

Toews' remaining game with Chicago changed into towards the crew he faced within the 2010 Stanley Cup Final, whilst he led the Blackhawks to their first championship in forty nine years.

He heard loud, extended cheers whilst he was brought with the starting lineup, and every time he turned into proven on the overhead videoboard. The reception reached every other degree while Toews scored a power-play aim in the 2d length, leading to a thunderous spherical of applause.

It was Toews' first goal considering the fact that Jan. 28 and No. 15 on the season. He has 372 dreams and 511 assists in 1,067 ordinary-season games -- all with Chicago.

"There's truely no tough feelings," he said. "I have nothing but love and gratitude for the Blackhawks."

Toews changed into selected via Chicago with the No. Three pick out in the 2006 draft, one of the first markers in the crew's upward push to the pinnacle of the NHL. He changed into simply two decades vintage whilst he became the 34th captain in team history in July 2008.

"He's simply our team chief, and he's been the leader right here for a long time," first-year coach Luke Richardson said. "It become continually fun to observe him play. I was always a fan, but to have a danger to paintings with him this year changed into virtually extremely good."

Toews turned into a part of a middle group that helped Chicago prepare the first-rate stretch in franchise history, also triumphing the Stanley Cup in 2013 and 2015. The Blackhawks additionally made it to the Western Conference finals in 2014, losing to the Los Angeles Kings in an epic seven-recreation collection.

But the franchise has fallen on tough times of past due. It is many of the worst teams within the NHL this year, within the blend for the No. 1 universal choose in the draft and a hazard to take Connor Bedard.

Toews' departure comes in the wake of a February alternate that shipped superstar ahead Patrick Kane to the New York Rangers.

"I don't know if it's always placing the beyond in the back of us. It's moreso clearing the deck to some extent to permit the organic boom for young gamers into management roles," Davidson said. "Offer this new era of Blackhawks participant the same possibility that Toews, Kane, [Duncan] Keith, [Brent] Seabrook, they have been all offered when they came inside the league."

Following a chain of conversations, Davidson said he instructed Toews of the selection while the team become in Seattle final week. The GM also stated he had talked to CEO Danny Wirtz, the son of Blackhawks chairman Rocky Wirtz, about the pass.

"Danny and Rocky spoke with Jonathan, no longer about this, simply to form of reminisce approximately what become lived and skilled and just to show that respect and share inside the reminiscences that have been made together," Davidson said. "So, whilst you're transferring on from a person like Jonathan Toews, they need to be concerned. They have to be, given the reputation and stature of the participant."