One of the biggest names that many have speculated would be covered this trading season has just been taken off the board. Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli reports that the Blackhawks and captain Jonathan Tows have “made a joint decision as he needs more time to recover from his recent illness” and that he “will not be transferred until the NHL trade deadline.”
Seravalli adds that “there doesn’t appear to be any major long-term health issues” and that it’s possible Toews could return to the ice in March. However, he noted that “out of fairness to other teams, Toews felt his body wasn’t cooperating at the moment to compete at a high level” and stood in the way of a potential trade with another club.
Toews confirmed the news in a Opinion. Not trying to summarize the complex nature of Toews’ health, here is his full statement:
First of all I would like to thank the fans and all those who have shown their concern about my absence. I’m still dealing with the symptoms of Long COVID and Chronic Immune Response Syndrome.
It was really a challenge to act out these symptoms. It got to the point in the past few weeks where I had no choice but to step back and focus on getting healthy. I am grateful for the patience and support of my teammates, the coaching staff and the entire Blackhawks organization.
While the lack of depth in the trade market this season at center means this development is having a significant ripple effect across the league, the most important aspect of this announcement is Toews’ own health.
While he has described medical issues that have affected his ability to step on the ice, the same issues can also affect his daily life off the rink.
Ensuring he takes the time he needs to and is fully focused on getting his personal health in order seems to be Toews’ top priority.
In June 2021, Toews spoke to The Athletic’s Mark Lazerus about his health and described the confusion and frustration he was dealing with off the ice. (subscription link)
With this relatively small glimpse into what Toews has struggled with, Toews’ performance on the ice becomes all the more impressive.
Tackling the physical rigors of NHL hockey is an achievement for any athlete, and the fact that Toews was a quiet, productive member of a struggling Blackhawks roster is extremely impressive given the circumstances.
While Toews’ future on the ice remains unclear, Seravalli explained the possibility that he could return to the ice as early as March. But given all that Toews has sacrificed and achieved for the Blackhawks organization in his streak of over 1,000 games for the franchise, it seems highly likely that the Blackhawks will give Toews all the time and freedom he needs to develop his Fixing Body before he even comes is considering a return to the lineup.
What this means for the broader NHL is significant. The trading market for centers was already precariously thin, and after trading from Ryan O’Reilly to Toronto Toews was poised to be the highest quality player out there. Now with him at the helm, teams that need help down the middle will likely struggle to find a quality center that other teams would be willing to come to terms with.
With Toews now from the trade market, teammate Max Domi or injured Montreal Canadiens forwards Sean Monahan could be the best available options for any team looking to add a pivot before March 3rd, unless a team manages to lure a less obvious trade candidate away from their current team.
Images courtesy of USA Today Sports Images
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