toews_092921

CHICAGO -- Jonathan Toews said he felt great after he had an assist and played 22:48 in his first game in more than a year for the Chicago Blackhawks, a 4-3 shootout loss to the Detroit Red Wings at United Center on Wednesday.

"Obviously, I've got my work cut out for me, but it's coming. So just happy to be out there," the 33-year-old center said. "Obviously, the legs are tired. We've got pretty good skates in practices, but I feel better than Day One. I think I feel pretty good about my progress and, you know, just getting in shape, I guess, pretty much."
Toews missed last season with chronic immune response syndrome. The Blackhawks captain has participated in all five days they have held training camp this month, including a three-period scrimmage (15 minutes each period) Tuesday.
He was the center on a line with Dominik Kubalik at left wing and Philipp Kurashev at right wing against Detroit. He got the secondary assist on Kubalik's goal to tie the game 1-1 16:50 into the first period, had three shots on goal, won 15 of 21 face-offs (71.4 percent), and scored on the first attempt of the shootout.
Coach Jeremy Colliton said he didn't intend to play Toews as much as he did.
"You know, we had the two-minute shift at the beginning of overtime, that wasn't planned either," Colliton said. "And then of course you throw him out there for a couple of face-offs and stuff like that, and we did have a lot of power plays."
Toews played 3:28 on the power play and 1:12 on the penalty kill.
"No, I wasn't planning [on that], but he looked good," Colliton said. "He responded better than I hoped, so we'll see. We'll monitor it, take it day by day, see how he feels tomorrow. But it was nice to have him back, obviously."

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      Ryan nets shootout winner in 4-3 victory

      Toews had not played since Aug. 18, 2020, in Game 5 of the Western Conference First Round when he scored in a 4-3 loss to the Vegas Golden Knights that eliminated the Blackhawks from the best-of-7 series.
      Toews said Sept. 23, the first day of training camp, that he hopes to play in the regular-season opener at the Colorado Avalanche on Oct. 13.
      The Blackhawks played a video montage to recognize Toews' return during the first period, and he received a great reception from the crowd throughout the game.
      "There's just a lot of little things you take for granted, just becomes so routine and so repetitive after a while," Toews said. "To be out of that, out of sync and just kind of be so removed from the game, you get to look back and get a new appreciation for it. You look forward to those little things you didn't realize you missed."
      Toews scored 60 points (18 goals, 42 assists) in 70 regular-season games and nine points (five goals, four assists) in nine Stanley Cup Playoff games in 2019-20.
      The No. 3 pick in the 2006 NHL Draft, Toews has scored 815 points (345 goals, 470 assists) in 943 NHL regular-season games and 119 points (45 goals, 74 assists) in 137 playoff games. He helped the Blackhawks win the Stanley Cup in 2010, 2013 and 2015. In 2010, he won the Conn Smythe Trophy, voted as playoff MVP, after scoring 29 points (seven goals, 22 assists) in 22 games.
      Chicago forward Alex Nylander had one shot on goal in 14:33 in his first game since Game 4 against Vegas in the 2020 first round. He had surgery for a torn meniscus in his left knee Dec. 21.