Acrimonious though the long history between the Detroit Red Wings and Chicago Blackhawks may be, the two rivals have a rather extensive tradition of sharing players. And not just role players either. Chris Chelios. Bob Probert. Marian Hossa. And, to the recent satisfaction of Red Wings fans and ire of Hawks supporters, Alex DeBrincat and Patrick Kane. With longtime Chicago captain Jonathan Toews now eyeing an NHL comeback after two seasons recovering from the effects of Long COVID and Chronic Immune Response Syndrome, could he be the latest former Hawk to jump across the rivalry's dividing line and up I-94 to join the Red Wings?
The career résumé for Toews on the ice is unimpeachable. 1067 games played, 883 points, three Stanley Cup championships, a Conn Smythe, a Selke. But of course, Detroit wouldn't be signing Toews' résumé, they'd be signing a 37-year-old who hasn't played a game since the 2022-23 season.
Aug 13, 2020; Edmonton, Alberta, CAN; Chicago Blackhawks center Jonathan Toews (19) skates during the warmup period against the Vegas Golden Knights in game two of the first round of the 2020 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Rogers Place. (Sergei Belski, Imagn Images)
Because of that layoff, there are obvious questions to ask about Toews' fit in Detroit and his fitness. Perhaps those two years off were rejuvenating for Toews (and for his sake, you'd hope they were), but he was also a player showing fairly significant signs of decline (certainly relative to his peak, when he was among the most highly regarded 200-foot players in the league) before the time away.
It's hard to say what Toews has in mind when it comes to fit and contract. You certainly wouldn't imagine that Toews is embarking on this comeback for one last payday, and a short-term 'prove-it' deal with some incentives built-in would seem to make sense. You'd also think that the presence of Kane and DeBrincat in Detroit would be alluring for Toews as he weighs his options for a next stop.
At the same time, it seems unrealistic to count on Toews as anything more than a fourth liner, considering his time away from the game and his age. From a Red Wings perspective, that doesn't have to be a bad thing. While there are certainly a handful of viable candidates for the role, Detroit doesn't have a clear choice for its number four center position for the coming year. Toews' track record as a winner and his defensive acumen both check boxes regarding the Wings' offseason needs.
Ultimately, Toews to the Red Wings feels unlikely, but there is probably a narrow path toward it being mutually beneficial: a prove-it deal for a depth role through which Toews could re-establish himself as an NHLer.
