From dream to reality, Chipman welcomes Toews to Jets

That Kevin Cheveldayoff got emotional and nearly broke into tears when recalling a conversation he had roughly 14 years ago is telling.

On the other end of the aforementioned discussion was Winnipeg Jets governor and co-owner Mark Chipman, who floated an idea to Cheveldayoff shortly after his introduction as Jets general manager that both individuals thought was nothing more than a pipe dream at the time.

“Would there ever be a day that Jonathan would play for us?” Chipman recalled in a conversation on Friday afternoon.

Jonathan was Jonathan Toews, the pride of St. Vital, who at the time of the original chat in 2011 was the young captain of the Chicago Blackhawks.

On Friday, Toews was being introduced as a member of the Jets before a large group of assembled media members and a room full of other interested observers that included Mayor Scott Gillingham and Premier Wab Kinew.

This wasn’t your typical off-season free agency signing press conference and before it officially began, Toews took time to say hello to his mother Andree Gilbert, who was sitting in the front row and bursting with pride at this unexpected turn of events.

“It was just a casual thought,” said Chipman. “But what I remember about those early days was watching them roll in here. Those were hard games to watch. That was peak ‘Hawks. I just remember vividly being drawn towards Joanthan back then, with the way that he played the game. That’s what prompted the question. He was still very young at the time and he was just getting going.”

Those peak Chicago Blackhawks were a force to be reckoned with, capturing three Stanley Cups in a five-year period between 2010 and 2015 and Toews was at the centre of it.

After dealing with a host of health issues that threatened to end his playing career, Toews finds himself at a place where he feels healthy enough to add to his Hall of Fame resume.

That he’s chosen to do that with his hometown Jets is music to Chipman’s ears.

“When I got the text that JT is a Jet, it was pretty cool,” said Chipman.

That text message came from Cheveldayoff after the Jets and Toews agreed to a one-year contract that has a base salary of US$2 million, with incentives that could reach an additional US$5 million.

The contract became official on July 1 and there have still been times when Chipman is lost for words thinking about how things finally came together all of these years later.

Chipman and Toews had kept in contact over the years, including a trip to Saskatchewan to show support after the Humboldt Broncos bus crash tragedy.

When Toews got serious about his comeback, Chipman helped paint a picture of what it would be like to join the organization.

“That was a huge part of really starting to clue in on what the reality of playing here would be like — or anywhere else for that matter,” said Toews. “But it really got to a point where I couldn’t see myself wearing any other jersey. Just on so many levels. It wasn’t something where you write down the pros and cons on a piece of paper. To me, it wasn’t rational at all. It was more of an intuitive thing where it just felt right.

“You can go over the million reasons why, but I didn’t have to call my mom or dad or my brother, anyone really. I just knew in my heart that this is what I wanted to do, so it felt good every step of the way. I’m really excited to be a part of it.”

That excitement is mutual, especially when you consider the realization that the original conversation between Chipman and Cheveldayoff was now coming full circle.

“I don’t know how to really put it into words. I don’t know that I ever really imagined that it would come to be,” said Chipman. “It took some time. Until I saw the text, it was hard to fathom. I called (Toews) right away and I said to Jonathan ‘I can’t believe this is actually happening.’ And he’s like ‘I can’t believe this is actually happening.’

“It’s been a really cool process to be a part of. I’m really happy for him, I’m happy for our fans and I’m happy for our team — because they’re really excited about this.”

It’s easy to understand why.

Throughout his career, Toews has been a force to be reckoned with.

A two-way player who has racked up plenty of points to go along with all of the hardware, Toews also spent a lot of time making those around him better.

He’s a proven winner whose leadership qualities were apparent, both in the NHL and on the international stage, where he often starred for Canada in high-pressure moments.

Part of that time it took Chipman had alluded to earlier included Toews coming to grips if his remarkable career might be cut short.

Although he was never officially retired, Toews had the sport taken away from him and he wasn’t sure he would get to play again.

His appreciation for having the chance to not only do so, but to do so in his home province was evident to anyone in attendance.

As he sat at a podium with Cheveldayoff and Jets head coach Scott Arniel, Toews sat intently watching a highlight video put together by the team.

This stroll down memory lane brought a smile to his face and his words matched his emotions.

When you’ve had the sport you’ve loved your entire life taken away from you — especially from circumstances that were out of your control — the appreciation for having another opportunity to rewrite the ending is a powerful thing.

“It’s all the sweeter, for sure,” said Toews. “It was hard to really see myself wearing any other jersey. I think day by day, this is becoming more real and it will as we get closer to the season, too. I’m looking forward to it. It’s an exciting time and it’s another fresh opportunity.”

Toews, who was chosen third overall by the Blackhawks in the 2006 NHL Draft, had a number of suitors for his services, but part of his decision came back to his hockey roots.

It’s obvious that his passion for the sport has been rekindled.

Although he wasn’t making any bold predictions when it came to expectations, you can be sure Toews is going to do everything in his power to be the best version of himself.

“You learn your lessons and sometimes life throws you some curveballs,” said Toews. “It’s easy to play the victim card. A lot of people go through difficult times and it’s something that I try to keep the mindset and that attitude that it’s not happening to me, it’s happening for me. “I try to learn from it and I try to grow. When you have a health issue, that’s what healing is, you’re just taking a look at your life and trying to find balance within it all.”

ken.wiebe@freepress.mb.ca

X and Bluesky: @WiebesWorld