After battling health issues, Toews returned with dedication, perseverance, and sportsmanship, earning him a nomination for a prestigious hockey honour.
The Winnipeg Chapter of the Professional Hockey Writers' Association has unanimously named local product Jonathan Toews as its nominee for the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy.
Awarded annually to the player who best exemplifies perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to the game of hockey, the Masterton award will be presented following the conclusion of the NHL's postseason this summer at the annual NHL Awards ceremony.
Photo by Danny TruongToews, who turns 38 later this month, has suited up in all 77 games for the Winnipeg Jets this season after taking the past two seasons off while battling various health-related issues.
The St. Vital product has 10 goals, 27 points and 34 penalty minutes for his hometown team, but his club has not had the year he expected after opting to sign with the Jets following their Presidents' Trophy-winning 2024-25 campaign.
The Jets are on the playoff bubble and will need to outright win their way in, while having all other playoff hopefuls find ways to lose their remaining games for the inside edge.
“It’s a weird thing," Toews said when asked about being the Jets' award nominee.
"It’s not like you’re consciously thinking about that, but I guess if I do stop to kind of look back at what the last four or five years have been like, it’s definitely been super unpredictable.
"Something that I never thought I would have to go through in my life. At the same time, I am very thankful for all of the struggles because honestly, it is cliche but it’s where I’ve learned the most about myself. About hockey, about life and all of those things. So, I’m thankful."
Toews admitted that he still finds difficulty amid the daily rigours of the season.
“Even this season, it’s been a struggle," he said.
"Every day I’m digging deep and trying to find the energy, find a way to contribute in any way and kind of set aside your ego. The challenge has been in my mind, I know what I’m capable of doing and how I can play the game, but just going out there with limited capability and in a limited role, you just try and do the best you can within those parameters I guess."
Suiting up in an unfamiliar third or fourth line role for much of the season has certainly been an ego check for 'Captain Serious,' who has three Stanley Cups, a Conn Smythe Trophy and two Olympic gold medals to his name.
“I was eager to get the opportunity in the NHL again and I told myself I would do anything to go out there and help this team," Toews recalled. "Sometimes you have a story in your head as far as who you are as a person and as a player. I pride myself on my experience and what I accomplished in the game and the way I’ve played over the years. Like I said, sometimes you take a backseat or have a limited role and it’s a new opportunity to learn, to learn how to be a better teammate, a better person. That’s part of it. When there are moments like that, you have to check that ego at the door.”
His season has had ups and downs. A recent multi-point effort against Seattle on Monday night highlighted one of the bigger highs from his 2025-26 campaign. But other lengthy stretches of scoring droughts showed why his role in the bottom-six may be expendable come 2026-27.
"It’s going to be hard, no matter what," he said. "It’s the kind of league where if you don’t do it, someone else will. The competition is always high, as you see again this year, the parity is incredible. The league just keeps getting better and it doesn’t get easier as you get older. The time away was a huge challenge, in trying to find my game. But at the same time, the recovery aspect wasn’t easy with the amount of games we’re playing."
Battling chronic immune response syndrome and long COVID, Toews sat out the full 2020-21 season and then missed the last two years as he searched for ways to get his body and mind back into playing shape.
Not sure where he would land, Toews knew it wouldn't be Chicago, as the Blackhawks officially closed the book on that chapter during the lead up to his final game a few years back.
Signing with Winnipeg was a "dream come true" for Toews, and despite the challenges that 2025-26 presented, he wouldn't change it for anything. The brotherhood of an NHL dressing room, the non-stop friends and family post-game visits and the deep Winnipeg roots kept him showing up even when the team endured a franchise-worst losing streak.
He may not win the Masterton award, but the nomination certainly means something to Toews, who has definitely shown he has what it takes to fight his way back to the NHL following a lengthy hideout as the league's 21st-oldest current player.
“There have been a lot of challenging, difficult days, but it’s all worth it," he said.
"The way that the city has received me, the city, the organization but also the players in the locker room. I would do it all over again to be part of this group. I learned a lot.
"Being in a new room, with a new bunch of guys, (you see) the leadership in this locker room, with (Adam Lowry, Mark Scheifele, Josh Morrissey and Kyle Connor), you go down the list and everyone brings something to the table. Those guys show up every day and they work so hard. They’re always positive, they’re always having fun and they’re keeping it light, even in the tougher moments."