Jonathan Toews, the former longtime captain of the Chicago Blackhawks, is expected to officially retire from the NHL after spending 15 of his 16 seasons with the Blackhawks. His last season was with the Winnipeg Jets.

Reports of retirement picked up pace after TSN’s Darren Dreger said Toews is set to announce his retirement on Friday, June 19. The Jets have scheduled a press conference on Friday at 11 a.m. CT, where the veteran center is expected to announce his retirement.

Toews spent the last few years in the sport battling serious health challenges, and it got difficult for him to continue to compete at the NHL level.

Toews missed the 2020-21 season entirely. This was when he had been dealing with long COVID and Chronic Immune Response Syndrome, known as CIRS. 

For Toews, CIRS severely reduced his energy and ability to recover. He talked about his conditions openly over the years, and about the toll they took on both his body and mental state while playing the games.

Toews’ final season with the Chicago Blackhawks was 2022–23 before he stepped away in February 2023. He did not play in the 2023–24 season after his contract ended, as he focused on his health.

He signed with the Jets last summer. He played in all 82 games this past season and scored 11 goals and 18 assists for 29 points. 

Despite that effort to get back, the long-term effects of his illnesses couldn't be ignored for him to play another season. 

The announcement was made in Winnipeg, where he grew up, and the Jets would stand to be his last team.

A career defined by championships and leadership

Toews spent almost 15 seasons as the face of the Blackhawks. He first arrived on the team as the third overall pick in the 2006 draft and then went on to be the 34th captain at just 20 years old in 2008.

Two seasons later, he led the team to its first Stanley Cup in 49 years. Chicago then won two more championships in 2013 and 2015. This solidified Toews' position as the core of the NHL team.

Over the years, he marked himself as one of the best two-way forwards. He won the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP in 2010 and the Selke Trophy in 2013 as the league's best defensive forward.

He will conclude his career as a member of the Triple Gold Club after winning gold with Team Canada at the 2007 World Championships and the 2010 and 2014 Olympics.

Toews finished his NHL career with 383 goals and 529 assists in 1,149 regular-season games.

If he makes the announcement on Friday, what will be your favorite memory of Toews? Let us know in the comments.

Read more at NHL Fan Central.

Written by

Aadhya Nalla

Edited by

Soheli Tarafdar