Chicago Blackhawks general manager Kyle Davidson announced that captain Jonathan Toews will be playing his final game with the franchise Thursday evening against the Philadelphia Flyers.
Davidson consulted with Toews and revealed that the 34-year-old, who has spent his entire career with the organization, will not be re-signing this summer when his contract expires.
“I’ve had a number of conversations with Jonathan throughout the season about his future with the Blackhawks, and recently, we had the difficult conversation that we won’t be re-signing him this offseason,” Davidson said Thursday morning. “Tonight will be his final game as a Blackhawk. It was an incredibly difficult decision to make, but I told him that wherever he ends up playing next, he’ll be a Blackhawk forever.”
Toews is one of the greatest players in franchise history, winning three Stanley Cups in 2010, 2013 and 2015, the Conn Smythe Trophy in 2010 — the second youngest player in league history to do so behind Patrick Roy — a Selke Trophy in 2013, to go along with six all-star selections. He also won two Olympic gold medals for Canada and is a member of the Triple Gold Club, having also won gold at the world juniors and world championships.
“Jonathan epitomizes the Chicago Blackhawks,” Davidson said. “He’s been everything you can ask for in a captain and so much more. His leadership has been matched only by his toughness and focus. He’s been a mentor not only in the locker room to his teammates, but in the community as well, inspiring generations of future hockey players. He’s accomplished so much for this club and our fans, and the extraordinary legacy he leaves behind with this team is a testament to that.”
Toews, who was drafted third overall in 2006, was one of the best two-way forwards of his generation and was dominant in the faceoff circle, while providing top-line scoring flair for the vast majority of his career. He was prodigious early in his career and became the fifth-youngest captain in NHL history. Early in his career, Toews was nicknamed “Captain Serious” for his no-nonsense demeanor, a moniker he tried to shed as his career progressed while commanding the unwavering respect of his teammates.
This marks the end of the most successful era of Blackhawks history. Toews and Patrick Kane’s identical eight-year, $84-million contracts are set to expire at the end of the season. Kane and Toews were inextricably linked to each other, but the star winger was traded to the New York Rangers ahead of the deadline on Feb. 28.
During 1,066 games with the franchise, Toews notched 371 goals and 882 points.
