Jonathan Toews, Blackhawks fans renew a 'special' bond for one night
As a kid growing up in Winnipeg, Jonathan Toews decided to pursue a life in hockey not only because of his talent and love for the game but also because he understood its power to unite communities.
"[When you] go to an NHL game, you just feel that inspiration," Toews said. "It makes you feel some kind of emotion that inspires you to do your best and try to be great at what you do.
"It's what we love about sports: you never know what's going to happen. To put your heart and soul into something, and be able to have that impact and inspire people in that way, is what makes our sport special."
Throughout Toews' 16 years in Chicago, he never lost sight of that power. He cared about forming a bond with Blackhawks fans and Chicagoans as a whole, and form a bond he did.
On Monday at the United Center, Toews and Hawks fans will relish an opportunity to re-establish that bond, at least for one night.
It won't matter that Toews, who will be making his 48th appearance of the season for the Winnipeg Jets, wears blue instead of red now — just like it didn't matter how Patrick Kane wore a different shade of red when he returned for the first time as a Red Wing in February 2024.
They're both honorary Chicagoans forever. So are the other staples of the three Stanley Cup-winning teams, which Hawks fans just honored Saturday during the "Banner Years" centennial celebration.
"I always love the story of Duncan [Keith] and [Brent] Seabrook talking about how they were handing out free tickets at the train stations in their jerseys and no one knew who they were," Toews said. "I went to play in the world championship after my last year in college, and all the guys there were always like, 'Chicago is such a great sports city. Once the team gets going, it's going to be a great place to play.'
"Sure enough, that really came true within a couple years of being here. All the things lining up — and being able to take advantage of those opportunities — was all pretty special."
Kane was the icon of those Hawks, and Keith and Seabrook were the workhorses. But it was Toews who really built and maintained the bridge between the team and the city.
Connor Murphy, one of seven remaining Hawks who overlapped with Toews, got to witness that firsthand.
"He’s the one teammate I've ever had where you go out with him in public and people won’t just say they’re a 'big fan,'" Murphy said. "They’ll almost give an emotional 'thank you' to him. They’ll literally say, ‘Thank you for making my life better.’
"Because of the impact that he made representing as a leader in the community and...putting his heart on his sleeve with how he played, and always being team-first and community-first, that really resonated with people."
Toews recalled fans coming up and sharing stories about where they were for Cup wins or other unforgettable moments, and he was always happy and grateful to hear those stories.
Plenty more stories were shared over dinner Sunday with some of the alumni who stuck around to meet up with Toews. He mentioned seeing Kris Versteeg, Marian Hossa, Andrew Shaw, Johnny Oduya and Troy Brouwer.
He and Kane got to face each other for the first time on NHL ice on New Year's Eve in Detroit, too, and Toews' assist in that game seemed to spark a mid-season surge after he struggled through November and December.
He entered Monday running hot, with eight points in his last 10 games and four goals in his last five. The Jets, who entered Monday seven points out of a playoff spot after posting the league's best record last season, desperately need him to maintain that production.
"[This season has] definitely been an adjustment," Toews said. “There’s a lot of things...I didn’t really predict or foresee. Even acclimating to a new group...is something that I wasn’t really quite expecting. The game’s always changing. The league’s getting better.
"But as time went along, I’ve been able to feel more comfortable, find my game, settle in and find a role on this team, as well."