Blackhawks Legend Jonathan Toews 'Not Fully Retiring' from NHL, Will Take Time Away
August 17, 2023
Longtime Chicago Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews announced Thursday he is not retiring but is also not ready to hit the ice in the immediate future.
"I'd like to announce that I am not fully retiring, but I am taking time away from the game again this season," he wrote on Instagram. "I cannot deny my love for the game of hockey and still feel the passion for competing at my highest level."
He provided more details:
"However, these last few seasons have been very difficult considering my health challenges. My focus is to give myself the time and space to fully heal and enjoy life to the fullest once again. Along the way I have met several people who have struggled with health issues pertaining to long COVID, chronic immune response syndrome, and other similar cases that are quite complex. I now recognize the importance of one day sharing the details of my health journey with you all.
"Thank you to all of you who have supported me and respected my privacy in the process."
That he will not be playing in the near future comes as little surprise as his status with the Blackhawks was put into question with the hiring of Kyle Davidson as general manager in 2021-22.
Davidson made it clear that Chicago was going to enter a full-scale rebuild, and with Toews' contract expiring after the 2022-23 season, it was unlikely the franchise was going to re-sign him.
Davidson confirmed on April 13 that the franchise would not be re-signing the 35-year-old forward this summer.
Toews also told reporters at the time that the "thought of playing for another team right now is so far in the back of my mind," so it was unclear whether he would want to continue playing elsewhere.
"I always thought I'd retire a Blackhawk and part of me still believes in that, so we'll see," he said.
The Blackhawks selected Toews third overall in the 2006 draft, and he made his NHL debut during the 2007-08 season. In 1,067 games with Chicago across 15 seasons, he notched 372 goals and 511 assists for 883 points.
Additionally, Toews captained the Blackhawks to three Stanley Cups, won the 2009-10 Conn Smythe Trophy, 2012-13 Frank J. Selke Trophy and 2014-15 Mark Messier Leadership Award.
However, he has regressed over the latter stages of his career and even missed the entire 2020-21 season with chronic immune response syndrome.
He also missed part of the 2022-23 campaign with symptoms of long COVID and chronic immune response syndrome, appearing in just 53 games.
Toews will go down as one of the best players in Chicago's history regardless of his next step, and there's little doubt his No. 19 will one day be hanging in the rafters of the United Center.