Farewell: Jonathan Toews, Captain, Franchise Centerpiece, Icon

[Photo: David Banks, USA Today Sports]

I wanted to wait to write this until the dust had settled and we were at a lull in the sports year so I could give this the attention it deserves. Because there is an argument to be made that no athlete has meant more to a city than Jonathan Toews meant to Chicago. There have been great athletes before, of course, in Chicago and all around the world. But even if Walter Payton had never picked up a football, the game would still be huge. The Bears would still be the Bears; the charter franchise of the NFL, an iconic brand. Soldier Field would still be full of rabid fans on Sundays. If the Trail Blazers had taken Michael Jordan 2nd overall in 1984, kids across Chicago are still playing basketball. While the Bulls themselves wouldn’t be the global brand they are today, Chicago would still be a basketball hotbed, the game thriving in the city’s streets, schools, and rec centers. The same can’t be said for hockey. The game’s growth in Chicagoland is directly traceable to the Blackhawks dynasty of the 2010s. And while Patrick Kane may have been the flashier player and you might see more 88s on kids’ backs, the hockey boom in Chicago starts with Toews.

Kane was the highlight reel guy. He was Showtime. A dazzling blend of speed and skill that led to multiple goals either off his stick or the one of a player he set up with some ridiculous move to which the viewer’s only reaction could be “How in the world did he do that?” But Jonathan Toews was always the engine, a do-it-all 200-foot center who drew the toughest assignment every night and could be counted on to handle it. Few that have ever played the game could match Toews’ skill on both ends of the ice. Even when the goals weren’t as plentiful, Toews was still taking the opposition’s best shot. No doubt some of Kaner’s success was due to the fact that Tazer took on the opposition’s top line every night. Toews was dominant at the dot, a skill which can’t be overstated; the game gets a lot easier when you’re starting with the puck. His worst year at the dot was his rookie year of 07-08. He won 53.2 percent that year. 

Toews was everything a captain should be. A leader on the ice. A clutch performer. A complete player. The moment was never too big for him. When the Hawks were in a tough spot, they could count on Captain Serious. Whether it was a clutch goal against Vancouver in 2011 to keep the team breathing, or one against Phoenix the next year. The 2015 Western Conference Final against Anaheim provided a pair of classic Toews moments. First, down 4-2 late in game 5, Toews scored 2 goals in 72 seconds to force overtime. While OT didn’t go the Hawks’ way, they won game 6 to force game 7 at home. Enter Captain Serious. Toews got the scoring started then found the back of the net a second time and the Hawks were never really in danger from there, taking the game 5-3 and heading to the Stanley Cup Final, where they would cement their status as a dynasty. 

At this point, I need to mention another man without whom none of the Blackhawks’ success would have been possible. A man who, unfortunately, left us far too soon: Rocky Wirtz. Rocky got his own farewell and I encourage you to read it because the man was the best owner Chicago ever had and his impact on the Hawks, on Chicago, and on hockey as a whole can’t be overstated. He had the desire to return the Hawks to glory. And on the ice, he had the perfect captain leading the charge. 

What comes next for Toews is uncertain. He said Thursday in a statement on Instagram that he plans to take the 2023-24 season off. An immune system disorder makes playing a full season a tall task. Should he attempt to do so elsewhere, he’ll have the full support of the Hawks’ faithful. Retirement is another possibility; there is nothing left for the man to prove. What is certain is that a spot in the Hockey Hall of Fame awaits. As does a spot in the rafters of the United Center. And a spot either outside of it or in the atrium. Hopefully, a front office spot awaits, too. 

While nobody will wear number 19 for the Blackhawks again, lots of young hockey players in Chicagoland will. And they’ll wear other numbers, too. And they’ll watch games and then pass their love of this great sport on to the next generation. And they’ll do that because of Jonathan Toews. 

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