“I honestly do think that chapter is closed,” said Jonathan Toews on his time with the Blackhawks coming to an end. “I have respect for what Kyle and the organization are doing. They decided a few years ago to move in a different direction, and I’m all for that. I don’t think that’s a fit for me anymore,” he added. But while that particular chapter is over for Toews, he has no intention of calling it quits on his NHL career. Not yet. 

Naturally, that has stirred the pot of rumors and anticipation. In the latest rumour, it is said that the 36-year-old would land in the Detroit Red Wings, and Detroit fans are all for welcoming the (former) Blackhawks star, who is currently an unrestricted free agent. But before we dive into one of the top comments by Detroit fans on this issue, let’s take a quick look at what has really happened and how this conversation started. 

It was on the morning of April 13, 2023, when Jonathan Toews played his last game for the Chicago Blackhawks, that the Blackhawks GM, Kyle Davidson, confirmed that the franchise was not gonna re-sign the veteran. In the two seasons preceding that game, he could only play 124 games after Chronic Inflammatory Response Syndrome ruled him out for the entirety of the 2020-21 season, and post-Covid complications had him out of the arena from late February in 2023.

He hit free agency, and everyone just assumed that he had retired for good. And he wasn’t “too sure for a long time” either. 

But now after a healing journey in India and a surfing trip to Costa Rica, he is ready to hit the ice running. Toews expressed his feelings, saying, “I’m not satisfied with the way things ended in Chicago. It’s not about proving anything. It’s just that there’s something left in the tank, and I want to explore that. I want to go have fun, have a blast, and play with passion.” Cap. Toews is returning to the ice after two years.

After playing 1067 games throughout his career, Toews has a total of 372 goals with 511 assists. The former Blackhawks center has scored a total of 883 points in his career. In his 15-season career, Jonathan has not played for any other NHL team other than the Chicago Blackhawks. 

It would be interesting to see where Jonathan Toews lands after showing interest in returning to the ice. One of the top rumors involves the Detroit Red Wings as the right spot for Toews. And ever since this update has hit the city of Detroit, fans can’t get a breather. They want Captain Serious on their roster.

Detroit fans don’t think signing Jonathan Toews will be a bad idea

Fans have reacted to his Detroit rumors and said, “LMAO. That would be awesome. I ain’t gonna lie. I’m here for Debrincat, Kane, and Toews line in a winged wheel.” While another fan said, “I say bring him in. We are missing Rasmussen and Copp down the middle. He could be a 3 C if it doesn’t work. Then what’s the loss? We are already on a losing streak. And his experience could help the younger guys.” The Detroit Red Wings have lost five games in a row since their win against the Minnesota Wild.

Another fan said, “Let’s do it. Why not? One year. There is a lot of cap space. Make it so. Maybe it will make the last month of Detroit’s season interesting.” Currently, the Detroit team has a decent $10,229,244 of money in the cap space. And if they want to sign Jonathan Toews for the upcoming season, they could get him to settle for a lot less given his age.

And complementary to all, one fan also added, “This is all upside for Detroit. If it doesn’t pan out, then he’s scratched. Detroit has no reason not to do this.” And in another comment, a fan couldn’t hold him back to being in the GM’s shoes and say, “I would take the risk for the rest of the season. There wouldn’t be much risk. If he can’t play, he will get scratched or even put into LTIR as long as it’s not a multi-year contract.” Looks like it’s all possible, right? 

But not just Detroit Red Wings fans, but the whole NHL is surprised by Jonathan Toews’ update. And which team would deny a veteran who has won three Stanley Cups for the former team? Let’s see which team hires him.