Toews retires after 16 seasons, won Stanley Cup 3 times with Blackhawks

Jonathan Toews announced his retirement from the NHL on Friday after 16 seasons.

The three-time Stanley Cup champion with the Chicago Blackhawks made the announcement at the Jonathan Toews Sportsplex in Winnipeg, where he grew up.

It was in Winnipeg where he also played his final NHL season, with 29 points (11 goals, 18 assists) in 82 games for the Jets in 2025-26.

His season with his hometown team came after two years away from the NHL because of an illness.

"I knew what it meant when I was a kid and growing up and being a Winnipegger all these years but to come back and witness it first hand, being a Winnipeg Jet, it’s amazing," Toews said. "... And thank you for giving me the opportunity to live out my dream of pulling on that Jets sweater and playing in front of my hometown community, my family, my friends, all the people who supported me through the years. It meant a lot to them, and it means a lot to me."

The No. 3 pick by Chicago in the 2006 NHL Draft, Toews has 912 points (383 goals, 529 assists) in 1,149 games for the Blackhawks and Jets. He helped Chicago win the Stanley Cup in 2010, 2013 and 2015 and was voted winner of the 2010 Conn Smythe Trophy, awarded to the most valuable player of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, after he had 29 points (seven goals, 22 assists) in 22 postseason games on the way to the Blackhawks' first championship since 1961.

He was named Blackhawks captain on Jul 18, 2008, prior to his second NHL season, becoming the third youngest captain in NHL history at the time at 20 years and 79 days.

Nicknamed "Captain Serious," Toews would form a core in Chicago with forward Patrick Kane and defenseman Duncan Keith that would win the Cup three times. In 2017, Toews, Kane and Keith each was included on the list of 100 Greatest NHL players at the League's Centennial celebration.

"To the fans in Chicago, what a ride," Toews said. "Sometimes it’s happening so fast and you don’t really have time to stop and smell the roses. You’re kind of on to the next thing constantly. It’s kind of what you have to do to not only survive but thrive in this League. Going back to Chicago for my first game back this year was definitely, it was shocking. It was a lot to take in and hard to receive almost, just the love of the fans from that game.

"I got to kind of skate around and take it all in. It was a great reminder of just how special those years were. It’s so cool to see what winning championships meant in that city. It just reminds me all the time that hockey’s not just a game. It means a lot to people. I think as a young kid you grow up really inspired to be great at what you do but obviously you want to inspire people as well. I think that’s the ultimate sign, that it touched a lot of people. It was really cool to see that. so, thank you."

Toews was limited to 124 games over his final two seasons with the Blackhawks after Chronic Inflammatory Response Syndrome kept him out of the entire 2020-21 season and from Feb. 21 to April 1, 2023, when he was dealing with the effects of long COVID-19. Toews became an unrestricted free agent July 1, 2023. He did not sign with another team at the time, but also never officially announced his retirement from hockey.

Toews, who has 119 points (45 goals, 74 assists) in 137 playoff games, also won the Selke Trophy in 2012-13, voted annually as the League's best defensive forward.

"For me personally, witnessing the effort you made to play all 82 games under the physical strain you've been facing the past six years is something I'll never forget," Jets executive chairman Mark Chipman said. "It's just one of the many, many reasons I’m so proud and humble you're retiring as a Winnipeg Jet. I would say without question, the best part of our game is its people. I've had the privilege of meeting many of the best, who reach the highest interception of ability and character. But there are only a few about whom you could say they made the game better. Jonathan, you made the game better because you made everyone around you better and it took it to another level. The game is going to miss you and we're all going to miss watching you play."

Toews ranks sixth in goals (372) and points (883) and is eighth in assists (511) in Blackhawks history and fifth in games played (1,067). His 137 playoff games rank second, and he's fifth with 119 postseason points. He won gold with Canada at the Olympics twice (2010, 2014).

"Obviously the last few years have been extremely difficult," Toews said. "So, I guess in a way I kind of feel prepared for this moment. More nervous than I thought I would be but the transition is challenging for any player who’s moving on from the game. When you're heading into the unknown a little bit, your whole life has kind of been structured and predictable from one year to the next, it’s not easy.

"Sometimes I catch myself wishing things could've done differently and I could've finished my career on a different note these last five years or so, but truth be told I’m grateful for the struggle and the learning experiences I've been through. Ironically, I feel I've learned so much more about myself and about life through the low points than I ever did when my career was at its highs."

Jets captain Adam Lowry said Toews should be remembered as a winner.

"I think he's going to go down as one of the best two-way centremen, especially in the last generation," Lowry said. "All of us were fortunate to grow up watching him and then play against him and then get the opportunity to play with him. ... Three Stanley Cups (with Chicago), Olympic gold, Conn Smythe. He did it all. He's a winner, he's a leader. I think if you look back on his career, that's the thing that sticks out. He won at every level, every team he played on. He was the guy they'd look to in big moments to deliver big results."

NHL.com independent correspondent Darrin Bauming contributed to this report