Jonathan Toews just played his first professional hockey game in two-and-a-half years; 884 days to be exact.
Sure, it was just a preseason spin against the Edmonton Oilers, but a notable first step nonetheless for someone attempting an NHL comeback after two seasons off due to health issues.
Toews’ Returns to Ice After 2.5 Year Hiatus
Toews’ last game was on April 23, 2023, as a member of the Chicago Blackhawks, with whom he spent his entire career and led to three Stanley Cups. He then missed all of 2023-24 and 2024-25 as he dealt with chronic inflammatory response syndrome and long COVID. He signed a one-year deal this summer with his hometown Winnipeg Jets.
Related: 4 Jets Bounce-Back Candidates for 2025-26
The results from his return to the ice and Jets debut, where he wore an “A” and centred a line between fellow veteran Gustav Nyquist and rising star Cole Perfetti? 18:32 of ice time — fourth team wide — in 22 shifts, no shots, a minus-1 rating, and a 55 percent faceoff winning percentage.
He took the game’s opening draw, winning it against Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, and was on the ice in the final seconds in the unsuccessful push for the equalizer in the 3-2 loss. He also received some power-play time.
He showcased good awareness and decent speed, but admitted to TSN colour analyst Kevin Sawyer in a first-intermission interview he felt a bit nervous and rusty.
“Some Good, Some Not So Good” — Toews on Performance
Postgame, the man who gained the nickname “Captain Serious” during his time in Chicago gave an honest assessment of his performance.
“Some good. Some not-so-good,” he said. “It is what it is. I felt like I made some plays and as the game went along and relaxed a bit. I think the conditioning is going to come, the jump is going to come, and I just think the timing is going to be there too.”
“You get frustrated sometimes because you want to go out there and find the back of the net right away, and if you don’t then you can beat yourself up for little mistakes here and there,” he continued.
“I’m out there with two good players. For me the reminder is to keep focusing on what we’re doing well and trying to improve every game. It was fun to be out there at the end of the day, and obviously we didn’t get the win but it’s early. We’ve got a lot of work to do.”
Some “Good Stuff,” Some “Rust” — Arniel
“There was some good stuff… where he had some opportunities and made some plays for his line. I thought he picked up our systems,” head coach Scott Arniel said.
“There were other times where yeah, like he said, he could be a little better and I think that’s just from rust. I think that’s just timing, getting to know his linemates. I think there was a little bit of both there. It was a good first game and I know for a fact that he’ll end up being better in the next one,” Arniel continued.
“I want him to build… I want him to get better every day, through the practices and the games so that on Oct. 9 [the regular-season opener] he’s at his best.”
On Sunday, Arniel spoke about how much of a quick study the 37 year old was on the team’s systems and that he told Toews he wasn’t going to get to play in all six preseason games despite wanting to.
The Jets return to action on Friday, Sept. 26 when they head to Edmonton with a rematch against the Oilers. Toews will play in three of the Jets’ remaining four preseason games, TSN reported.
