Former Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews defied the odds with his NHL comeback with the Jets last season.
That having been accomplished, he announced his official retirement from hockey Friday.
‘‘I have to say I’m satisfied, I’m fulfilled,’’ Toews, 38, said at a news conference in Winnipeg, Manitoba. ‘‘I’m so thankful and grateful for the career I had.
‘‘There’s some aspects to it that will always be difficult, especially these next few years, I’m sure. But it’s just a kind of intuitive feel that it’s the right time. I’m happy I gave it another shot, regardless of how things went this year.’’
The fact Toews was able to play a full 82 games in 2025-26 was a remarkable achievement, considering the health issues he battled during his two years away from the NHL and his ongoing struggles with energy and recovery during this past season.
He wasn’t up to his usual standard, finishing with 11 goals and 18 assists with poor analytics on a disappointing team, but that’s certainly not what he’ll be remembered for decades from now.
The future Hall of Famer finishes his career with 1,149 games played and 912 points across 15 seasons with the Hawks and one with the Jets. His hardware case is loaded with three Stanley Cups, two Olympic gold medals, one Selke Trophy and one Conn Smythe Trophy.
Hawks fans also got to see Toews grace United Center ice two more times than they expected, first in January and again in March. The ovation he got in January had to be seen to be believed.
‘‘I went to play in the world championships after my last year in college [in 2007], 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,’ ’’ Toews said in January, reminiscing.
‘‘Sure enough, that really came true within a couple of years of being here. All the things lining up — and being able to take advantage of those opportunities — was all pretty special.’’
