When Jonathan Toews steps onto the ice at the United Center tonight, it will be bigger than the standings, the scoreline, or even the sweater he’s wearing. For the first time in his NHL career, Toews will play a regular-season game in Chicago as the opposition, skating with the Winnipeg Jets against the Chicago Blackhawks — the organization he captained for 15 seasons and helped turn into a modern dynasty.
“It’ll be very emotional,” Toews admitted ahead of the matchup.
This isn’t just a reunion. It’s a full-circle moment for one of the most era-defining players in Blackhawks history.
Toews’ Timing Feels Right
After missing the last two seasons with health issues, the 37-year-old center has slowly found his rhythm with the Jets, and he has picked up his pace recently. Over the past nine games, Toews has four goals and seven points, bringing his totals to seven goals and 18 points in 47 games this season.
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“It’s almost like I was happy it was later in the season,” Toews said ahead of Monday’s game against the Blackhawks. “I want to play well, and I feel I’ve been building my game.”
That buildup matters. Coming back to Chicago will never be easy. But coming back with confidence in his game should give Toews a sense of control over a night that will necessarily be filled with distractions.
“There’s a little bit of nerves there with the thought of that game coming up pretty soon,” he said. “So it’ll be very emotional.”
Toews’ Legacy at the United Center
Toews’ résumé speaks for itself. He played over 1,067 career games with the Blackhawks, recording 372 goals and 883 points, serving as team captain from 2008 to 2023. He lifted the Stanley Cup three times, won the Conn Smythe Trophy in 2010, and added a Frank J. Selke Trophy in 2013 as one of the league’s premier two-way centers.
But statistics only tell part of the story. Toews became the face of a franchise during one of the most successful eras in NHL history. Alongside players like Patrick Kane, Duncan Keith, and Brent Seabrook, he helped redefine expectations in Chicago — turning a once-struggling organization into a perennial contender and, eventually, a standard-bearer for championship hockey.
That’s why tonight’s return carries more weight than a normal inter-conference matchup.
“I think it’ll be a pretty cool moment for me,” Toews said. “Just being able to recognize what the game of hockey does for people in Chicago and what it meant for the city.”
From Blackhawks Captain to Jets Center
Toews last played in Chicago during the 2022-23 season, posting 15 goals and 31 points in 53 games. Shortly before the team’s final game that year, Blackhawks general manager Kyle Davidson announced the organization would not re-sign him, closing the door on an era.
After stepping away from the game entirely last season, Toews resurfaced last summer and signed a one-year deal with the Jets — a move that reunited him with his hometown roots and offered a low-pressure environment to return on his own terms.
His first game against Chicago this season was on Oct. 30 in Winnipeg, where he recorded an assist. Tonight, however, is different. This is the building. These are the fans. This is where the banners hang.
“I’m looking forward to going back there, playing that game and kind of reliving those moments,” Toews said.
Toews Must Navigate the Emotions of the Night
For Toews, the challenge will be balancing nostalgia with the task at hand.
“Obviously, I really want to go out there and play well and do my best,” he said. “But those ones are always tough to focus on the task at hand with a lot going on around you.”
That tension will be unavoidable. Tributes are expected. So are standing ovations. Chicago fans, even amid a rebuild, understand what Toews meant to the franchise — and what he sacrificed to deliver championships. There’s also an undercurrent of closure. Toews never had a traditional farewell season in Chicago, nor a ceremonial goodbye on home ice. Tonight, in many ways, could be that moment.
Jets vs. Blackhawks: Stakes on the Ice
Beyond the emotion, the game matters. The Jets enter tonight’s matchup with points in five straight games, including wins in four of their last five. After enduring an 11-game winless skid earlier this season, they have clawed their way back into the playoff conversation.
The Blackhawks, meanwhile, sit just one point ahead of Winnipeg in the standings, though six points back of the San Jose Sharks for the final wild-card spot in the Western Conference. Every game is important for two teams trying to stabilize their season. For Toews, contributing in meaningful games again — especially one like this — reinforces why the return was worth it.
Toews in Chicago: One Night, Lasting Impact
No matter the final score, tonight will be remembered, especially as a reminder of how rare true franchise icons are in today’s NHL. It’s also a testament to longevity, resilience, and the complicated reality of endings that don’t always arrive on perfect terms.
Jonathan Toews isn’t wearing red anymore. But the legacy he left in Chicago isn’t going anywhere. And when he takes that first shift tonight, the United Center will feel it — even if he’s on the wrong bench.
