‘One of the all-time great legends of the Chicago Blackhawks’ Legacy of Jets’ Toews lives on in the Windy City By: Ken Wiebe Posted: 5:27 PM CST Monday, Jan. 19, 2026 Last Modified: 6:33 AM CST Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2026 Updates

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CHICAGO — Given the location and environment, it would basically be the equivalent of Michael Jordan walking into this building in a Washington Wizards jersey.

It’s the kind of sight that forces most witnesses to do a double take.

Jonathan Toews had done hundreds of interviews inside the United Center since being chosen third overall by the Chicago Blackhawks in 2006, but as he held court with reporters on Monday morning, this time he was wearing a hat and hoodie from his hometown team instead of the one with the distinct Original Six logo on it.

Sure, Toews has spent more than half a season suiting up for the Winnipeg Jets and had already faced the Blackhawks back in October, but this first trip inside the United Center in a visiting uniform will still take some getting used to for many observers.

“Well, it hasn’t changed much,” said Toews, when asked what it was like to be inside the visitors room instead of the home side he occupied for 15 seasons. “You’re in there, sometimes for training camp and stuff. Yeah, it’s definitely different.”

Toews spoke for just over 10 minutes in what was the appetizer to the main course and his appreciation for his time in Chicago was heartfelt.

This is a place that means the world to him and it always will.

“I’m just super thankful, really grateful,” said Toews, who appeared in 1,067 regular season games with the Blackhawks and another 137 during the Stanley Cup playoffs. “The beauty of our game is it’s so team-oriented, and I’m always trying to be cognizant of the fact I was thrown into a really incredible opportunity. I’ll give myself credit, I definitely had a lot of will, a lot of energy coming into my career as a young kid here in Chicago, but it was just a perfect storm.

“We had so many great players that were finding themselves and finding their careers — finding their careers at the same time. Even the trajectory of where the organization was at the time, there was no pressure really.”

That may be true, but the impact Toews had on the organization is everlasting.

While trying to define the legacy of a player that is still active can be hard to do, Toews will surely go down as one of the greatest Blackhawks to ever don the uniform.

“He’s one of the all-time great legends of the Chicago Blackhawks,” said Jets defenceman Luke Schenn. “He deserves this night.”

“He’s one of the all-time great legends of the Chicago Blackhawks… He deserves this night.”

Toews’ tenure includes three Stanley Cups, including one in 2010 that ended a drought stretching back to 1961.

Had it ended there, he would have been celebrated forever. By adding two more titles in 2013 and 2015, it cemented him as the best two-way centre in franchise history.

Whenever Toews’ career officially wraps up, his No. 19 will go up to the rafters, beside the likes of Stan Mikita, Tony Esposito and other franchise icons.

His ability to connect with the community was a big part of what allowed him to gain rockstar status around these parts.

“It’s funny. He’s the one teammate I’ve had where — when you go out with him in public — people won’t just say that they’re a big fan. They’ll almost give an emotional thank you to him,” said Blackhawks defenceman Connor Murphy. “They literally say, ‘thank you for making my life better.’ That’s what people will say to him because of the impact he made.

“Just representing (the Blackhawks) as a leader in the community and putting his heart on his sleeve, with how he played and always being team-first and community-first, that really resonated with people.”

Toews, who was named captain of the Blackhawks just after he turned 20, appreciated the opportunity to have a lasting impact on the great sports fans in this market.

“That’s one of the coolest things, and ultimately that’s a big reason why I wanted to play hockey when I was a young kid,” said Toews. “Going to an NHL game, you just feel that inspiration. It makes you feel some kind of emotion that inspires you to do your best and try to be great at what you do. It’s what we love about sports, too. You never know what’s going to happen.

“To put your heart and soul into something and be able to have that impact and inspire people in that way is what makes our sport special. When people would come up to you and talk about where they were when you won one of the Cups, or whatever it was, the story they want to share — it gives people memories. It’s something people in our city would bond over. It’s pretty special to have those memories.”

Toews has been gone from the Blackhawks for three seasons, but his impact on the organization is still being felt — and will be for quite some time.

“It’s something people in our city would bond over. It’s pretty special to have those memories.”

“I don’t think there’s any doubt,” said Blackhawks head coach Jeff Blashill. “When you do what that group did — and certainly him included — that’s part of your foundation. That’s part of the foundation of our organization that we’re continuing to try to build upon. Certainly, we reference the players that have come before and built this great legacy and he’s certainly one of those guys.”

Schenn, who won back-to-back Stanley Cups with the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2020 and 2021, chuckled when asked about what it was like to go back and face an organization that you’ve won with.

“Whatever I’ve seen and come back to is nothing of this magnitude, so it’s hard to even relate,” said Schenn. “I remember Mats Sundin coming back to Toronto when he was playing for the Canucks. I was on the Leafs at that time and it was a similar sort of thing, but there weren’t three (Stanley) Cups attached to the name or anything like that. So it’s a little bit different.

“But there are certainly games that will stand out and that you remember.”

This is one of those games — and receptions — you will remember, whether you were out on the ice, watching from inside the building or viewing it on your TV.

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