Jonathan Toews admitted Tuesday this might be his last season as a member of the Chicago Blackhawks.
Toews, 34, missed two months with chronic immune response syndrome and long COVID. On Tuesday, while talking to reporters for the first time since returning from the injury list, he expressed his frustration at the circumstances to led to his being sidelined.
“You can’t really explain because people won’t understand,” he told reporters after his team’s morning skate. “It’s not like a knee injury or shoulder injury where you lay under an MRI and your proof is right there. It has been one of those complicated things. Even for me, it’s been really challenging at times to figure out what’s going on.”
After watching his long-time teammate Patrick Kane get traded to the New York Rangers ahead of the deadline, Toews said his future with the Blackhawks is up in the air as well.
“Regardless of what happens in the future this summer, it’s definitely on my mind that this could be my last few weeks here in Chicago as a Blackhawk,” he told reporters.
“So, that’s definitely very important for me to just go out there, enjoy the game, soak it in and just really appreciate everything I’ve been able to be a part of here in Chicago — and show my appreciation to the fans, as well.”
The Blackhawks have eight games remaining. Toews is reportedly unlikely to play against the Dallas Stars on Tuesday.
