This past week for the Chicago Blackhawks has been all about celebrating the past- the Dynasty teams, and even the Stanley Cup made an appearance at the United Center. Two days after “The Banner Years” celebrations, Jonathan Toews returned to the United Center for the first time since April 2023 as part of the Winnipeg Jets on Jan. 19.
It made for a nostalgic 72 hours for fans to bask in their Championship history, but amidst it all, there are still eyes on the Blackhawks’ season and how they are progressing.
Toews’ Return To Chicago
There was an aura in the United Center. It started during warmups, when fans began saluting early. Then, during the first TV timeout, the Chicago fans got to salute their former captain, and one of the greatest players of all time.
Before the game, defenseman Connor Murphy reflected on what he appreciated about him, as well as the fans, “I think a lot…. He’s kind of the one teammate I’ve ever had where you’ll go with him in public, and people won’t just say that they’re a big fan. They’ll almost like give an emotional thank you to him, and they’ll literally say ‘thank you for making my life better.’ That’s what people will say to him. Just the impact that he made, just representing as a leader in the community and the wins, and just putting his heart on his sleeve, how he played, and always being team first; community first. I think that really resonated with people. And then the success and the Stanley Cups speak for themselves, as well, to kind of cap off all the success that he’s helped bring to Chicago. So I think it’s amazing that the organization and that the city has had someone like that to look up to.”
And then Toews had this to say postgame:
From a hockey standpoint, it was a surreal experience to witness the long ovation that Toews received. When you are a credentialed journalist, watching games is business as usual. But it also brings you back to your roots. Moments like that remind you of how amazing sports are as a unifying experience and of all the emotions they can convey. A sold-out United Center crowd all united (pun intended) in celebrating a player that means so much to them.
On top of that, it was a fun postgame locker room environment, with all the players smiling after a win, and Caleb Williams (Chicago Bears) and Pete Crow-Armstrong (Chicago Cubs) were in there, too. Hearing the loud “Green Bay Sucks” chants from the crowd, with Williams in attendance, was another memorable element of the night.
Related: Key Takeaways From the Blackhawks 2-0 Shutout Over the Jets; Plus Jonathan Toews Returns
Oliver Moore said postgame about the Toews ovation, in part, “…That’s a memory I’ll never forget. I’m sure everyone in that building is going to remember that moment…”
I believe that is a very accurate statement.
Blackhawks Hunger For Greatness
One topic of conversation this past week was what they could take away from seeing the alumni and celebrating the Blackhawks’ Stanley Cup teams.
Moore said postgame on Jan. 19, “Yeah, I mean, one thousand percent. I think yesterday, the last game too. I mean, when the Stanley Cup was in the building and all those guys. You can see the impact it has. It’s an inspiring thing. It’s hard not to get motivated from that, especially at this point in the season. It’s something that we all want to achieve one day. And, yeah, it was awesome.”
Jeff Blashill said postgame about if seeing the reception Toews and Williams got could be motivating, “I think they’re highly motivated to win no matter what. But it’s certainly a kind of reminder or perspective of why winning matters so much, and why it matters more than just statistics. And you know, certainly, Jonathan Toews has great statistics. But you know why he’s revered is because he was the captain of three cup teams, you know? And so, just kind of a perspective and reminder of how important that is.”
Obviously, winning is a process that the organization has emphasized. When it came to the 2-0 win against the Jets, goaltender Spencer Knight got his third shutout of the season. Two goals from Jason Dickinson and Connor Bedard were just enough, as the team locked things down. Even Toews commended how they played defensively.
Alex Vlasic said postgame, “I think we kind of talked about as a team that at this time of the year, teams are gearing up for playoffs, and it’s starting to become a real battle out there every single night. And yeah, like you said, it’s going to be a low-scoring game, and especially right now, we’re kind of struggling to find the back of the net. And, you know, tonight we did a great job, which is playing some winning hockey, and it ended in a good result.”
Just like that, their three-game losing streak was snapped.
The past few days for the Blackhawks and the city were nostalgic, but they also seemed to stoke a stronger hunger amongst the fanbase and the team. Everyone in that sphere wants the Blackhawks back to being a contender. Back to playing “winning hockey.” Win by win, experience by experience, this was a reminder that Chicago has not lost its hunger or expectation for greatness.
