There was once a time that the Detroit Red Wings were bitter division rivals with the Chicago Blackhawks. Although a rivalry remains, it is nowhere near as intense.
Imagine, as a Blackhawks fan, being told that the two biggest faces of the franchise, within the last 20 years, would one day share the same red uniform of your bitter rivals? Well, that hypothetical is a near reality.
In a recent interview, former captain of the Chicago Blackhawks, Jonathan Toews, confirmed that after a multi-year hiatus, he will be aiming to return to the NHL for the 2025-26 season.
In 2020, Toews missed the entire season due to Covid-19 related issues with his health and ultimately had to step away from the game to focus on a full recovery. It was revealed that Toews traveled to India to take part in a rather unknown detox, known as an Ayurvedic Panchakarma detox.
This treatment involves heavy laxatives, painful massages and meditative yoga. It seems that the eastern world treatment may have done the trick as the 36 year old star center has declared his intent on making a comeback to the NHL.
In an interview with The Athletic, Toews shot down the idea of a return to Chicago to mentor the young, talented Connor Bedard.
“I honestly do think that chapter is closed, I respect what Kyle and the organization is doing," Toews said to The Athletic. "They decided a few years ago to move in a different direction and I’m all for that."
Toews believes Chicago is no longer a fit for him.
With the door shut for a Chicago return, the hockey world has been asking, where Jonathan Toews will play next season. Naturally, the idea of reuniting with longtime teammate Patrik Kane is one of the first thoughts to come to mind.
Would Toews consider going to the Blackhawks rival in Detroit? Would he prefer to not be linked to any remnants of his days of glory in Chicago?
"I want to go somewhere and have a chance to be myself and play the game,” Toews continued. “I know my best hockey’s going to come through that way, instead of trying to be in that role where I’m still living with the pressure of our Cup-winning days. That era’s over.”
Odds are always low when you consider a player of his pedigree choosing Detroit over the multiple offers that he would likely receive. However, Steve Yzerman has shown in the past that he is willing to give a 1-year tryout contract to an aging veteran with a high probability of risk, a la Patrick Kane.
Toews would certainly not feel the pressure of his cup winning days in a city like Detroit, which has not punched its postseason ticket to the in nine years. If he wants a chance to be himself and “play the game”, he may be intrigued by the prospect of playing for a coach like Todd Mclellan whose “Play F***ing Hockey” mantra would be music to his ears.
Detroit offers an opportunity for Toews to play the game his way.
It is almost a certainty that Kane has been asked about his thoughts on adding Toews to the team and whether or not it is worth pursuing. Still, the question remains, does the 36-year-old Toews have anything left worth giving to a NHL lineup?
Many could see the decline in his game towards the last handful of games that he played after returning from the 2020-21 season. There is a strong chance that he was being held down since he was not fully recovered from his illness, thus forcing himself to leave again and find a treatment that worked for him.
However, he could also be finished as a top end contributor to an NHL club physically. Wherever he signs, it will almost certainly be a one year contract loaded with bonuses to a team that does not have much to lose.
