Jonathan Toews agrees to one-year deal with Jets, setting stage for NHL comeback
The longtime Chicago Blackhawks captain, who missed the past two seasons, has agreed to a one-year contract with the Winnipeg Jets.
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Jonathan Toews is poised to return to the NHL.
The longtime Chicago Blackhawks captain, who missed the past two seasons, has agreed to a one-year contract with the Winnipeg Jets, the team announced.
Toews, 37, is not able to sign a contract until July 1, but he is allowed to make a verbal commitment, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman explained.
As Friedman reports, the Toews deal comes with a $2 million base salary and performance bonuses based on games played and team performances as well.
“I’m grateful to be making my return to the NHL with the Winnipeg Jets,” Jonathan Toews said in a statement. “It’s very special to come home and play in front of my family and friends in Manitoba. The Jets have been on the rise over the last few seasons and I’m eager to join the group and help however I can.”
The Winnipeg native last played during the 2022-23 season. In August 2023, he announced he was stepping away from hockey “to give myself the time and space to fully heal and enjoy life to the fullest once again.”
He also missed the full 2020-21 bubble season while recovering from COVID-19 and chronic immune response syndrome.
After his NHL exit, Toews remained out of the spotlight until November, when he shared on Instagram that he had undergone an Ayurvedic Panchakarma detox in India. In a GQ interview, he discussed in depth the many layers of that detox, which included painful massages, meditative yoga and daily laxatives among other treatments.
Now, he’s hoping to resume a storied career that already includes three Stanley Cups and two Olympic gold medals.
“We are excited to add a proven winner like Jonathan Toews to the Winnipeg Jets,” said Jets general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff. “It will be a unique opportunity for Jonathan to play for his hometown team. His talent, drive, and experience will be a great complement to our club. We will withhold further comment until July 1.”
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In 15 NHL seasons and 1,067 regular-season games, all with Chicago, Toews recorded 372 goals and 511 assists while earning a reputation as ‘Captain Serious’ for his sound play and clutch moments at centre.
“I’ve talked to a lot of the guys that are done, and a lot of them will say that desire to be on the ice competing and to be in the locker room with the guys never goes away. It’s just something that you have to accept when your time comes,” Toews told GQ in December.
“So there’s that, but at the same time, I think there’s a big part of me that really wants to give it my all, to get back on the ice and see where it takes me.”
