Since returning to the team in late March following a two-month absence while dealing with Long COVID and Chronic Immune Response Syndrome, Toews has been open about these final weeks of the season possibly being his last in Chicago - unsure at the time of both his body's longevity and his contract status this summer as a pending free agent.
"It's definitely on my mind that this could be my last few weeks here in Chicago as a Blackhawk," Toews
said on March 28
. "It's definitely very important for me to just go out there and just enjoy the game and just kind of soak it in and just really appreciate everything that I've been able to be a part of here in Chicago and show my appreciation to the fans as well."
On Thursday morning, Davidson opened his end-of-season media availability by making the news official, ensuring that the fans have the opportunity to celebrate Toews one more time as a player during the season finale, and that, rightfully, Toews can soak in the moment and pay the same thanks back to the fans in his final game at the United Center.
"It was very important to us to be able to provide the proper send off for Jonathan and our fans," Davidson said. "He has done so much for this organization, and meant so much to so many people, that we wanted to properly honor him and celebrate his legacy with our team. Our fans are the best in the world, and we're excited they'll get the chance to show Jonathan exactly how much he means to them, both for their sake and for his."
Toews will end his Blackhawks playing career as a three-time Stanley Cup champion, a winner of the Conn Smythe Trophy, the Selke Trophy and the Mark Messier Leadership Award, and the longest-serving captain in franchise history, and Chicago sports history, donning the 'C' with the utmost class since 2008.
"Jonathan epitomizes the Chicago Blackhawks," Davidson said. "He's been everything you can ask for in a captain and so much more. His leadership has been matched only by his toughness and focus. He's been a mentor not only in the locker room to his teammates, but in the community as well, inspiring generations of future hockey players. He's accomplished so much for this club and our fans, and the extraordinary legacy he leaves behind with this team is a testament to that."
His two-way play was a standard-bearer across the league for over a decade, and his precision at the faceoff dot remains among the best to ever do it. He was the one called upon to shutdown the opposing team's very best night in and night out, but also had a knack for taking over games when it matters most -- third in franchise history with 69 game-winning goals in the regular season and 11 more in the playoffs, a team mark. His 52 shootout goals are also an NHL record.
He enters his final game for the Blackhawks fifth all-time in games played (1,066) fro the franchise, and sixth all-time in both goals (371) and points (882).
