Blackhawks: Jonathan Toews helped get hockey back

Chicago Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews played a big role in helping the NHL return to play this season, as he is an active leader of the NHLPA.

It won’t go in his trophy case, but the Chicago Blackhawks’ Jonathan Toews can stick quite a feather in his hat. Captain Serious of the Chicago Blackhawks is an active member of the NHLPA that negotiated with NHL.

The return of hockey is great, but the most important part of the return to play is that there was an agreement on the collective bargaining agreement (CBA), which means that hockey is back for years to come.

SportsNet reported that the Executive Board, there’s Toews again!, voted to accept not only the return to play proposals but also an extension on the CBA.

The SportsNet staff make this point well saying,

"While the return-to-play plan was essential to complete the 2019-20 season, a CBA extension was equally important as it dictates how the league will move forward from a season that could cost it up to $1 billion in lost revenues. The current agreement was scheduled to expire in September of 2022 and the extension adds four more years."

Even though the last time there was lockout the Blackhawks won the cup, no one wants that to happen again; almost assuredly not after the current shutdown.

The agreements in place will by no means be perfect. You can’t help but wonder if the players didn’t try and get as much as they could, and really would you blame them? It’s not an issue now, but if the owners feel like they hand their hands forced in the face of hundreds of millions of dollars of lost revenues, then the next round of negotiations might be a bit rough.

That’s a problem for another day.

Right now, let’s all hope that everyone stays healthy, and hockey makes its way back into the sporting world.

Also, let’s appreciate #19.

Every team has one or two players listed as an executive member of the NHLPA, but Toews is the only Blackhawk. It’s pretty cool that he takes leadership seriously enough to look out for all players, not just the ones on his team.