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.
