THN.com/podcast. From THN On The 'Dub': Reflecting on Connor Bedard's WHL Season as Round 2 Begins Jonathan Toews [https://thehockeynews.com/.image/c_fit,h_600,w_600/MTk3MjIyNzg1OTEzNzI2MDM1/usatsi_20443252.jpg] Jonathan Toews It's the end of an era in the Windy City. The Chicago Blackhawks closed the book of a monumental chapter in franchise history on Thursday morning, announcing the club's final game of the regular season that night will serve as Jonathan Toews' last as a member of the organization. "I've had a number of conversations with Jonathan throughout the regular season about his future with the Blackhawks, and recently, we had the difficult conversation that he won't be re-signing him in the off-season," said Blackhawks GM Kyle Davidson in a statement released on Thursday. "Tonight will be his final game as a Blackhawk, and it was very important for us to be able to provide the proper send-off for Jonathan and our fans. He's done so much for this organization, and no matter where he plays next, we're excited our fans get the chance to show Jonathan just how much he means to them." While monumental in its finality, this decision doesn't exactly come as a shock. The writing had been on the wall for Toews' departure for quite some time, with the Blackhawks undergoing a full-scale rebuild in recent years that has since seen them sell off practically every valuable asset on their roster. One of those assets was fellow franchise icon Patrick Kane, with whom Toews won three Stanley Cups in Chicago and, together, served as the faces of the current era of Blackhawks hockey. That Toews returned to play at all this season is commendable. The 34-year-old stepped away from the club in late January to deal with the effects of long COVID-19 and Chronic Immune Response Syndrome that had already robbed him of the entire 2021 season. He made it back in time to play what he thought could be his last few games as a Blackhawk. With today's news, those thoughts have now been confirmed. Toews will leave Chicago with three Stanley Cup rings, one Conn Smythe trophy, one Selke trophy and one Mark Messier NHL Leadership Award. In 1,066 games with the Blackhawks, Toews scored 371 goals and 511 assists for 882 points, including 45 goals and 74 assists for 119 points in 137 career playoff games. As of now, it's unclear as to whether Toews will continue his playing career following this final match. He's expected to take some time and see how he feels after the season.
