Former Blackhawks Captain Jonathan Toews Looking For Contract in Free Agency

Reports appear to be correct in that the former captain of the Chicago Blackhawks, Jonathan Toews, is looking to return to the NHL. He told his agent that he's "100% committed to coming back to the NHL next season," reported Pierre LeBrun.

Toews is now 37 years old, but his return to the NHL doesn't mean he has to be a top-6 greatly impactful player anymore. He missed the entire 2020-21 season and wasn't the same player he was for the entirety of his career over the next two seasons. He hasn't played in the NHL since 2022-23 and despite receiving Selke Trophy votes in 12 consecutive seasons starting as a sophomore, he didn't receive any in his previous two seasons.

Toews has been working out for the past few months in Arizona and feels ready for an NHL return. I don't think he will necessarily be looking to break the bank with a team as he has made his money. I also don't think that a team is going to give him a contract longer than a year and at a high AAV because of his time off and uncertainty.

If this return is successful, I wouldn't put it past Toews to play for another few seasons before retiring and eventually getting into the Hall of Fame with at least three Stanley Cups, a Conn Smythe Trophy, Selke Trophy, Mark Messier Award, and one of the NHL's 100 greatest players.

There should be a number of teams interested in Toews, so he should have his choice in contenders. I don't think Chicago will be where he ends up though. We will have to wait another month until discussions and rumours start to really pick up ahead of free agency opening.