Blackhawks legend Jonathan Toews is considered almost a lock for the Hall of Fame

It will be strange seeing the Blackhawks' best captain ever wear another team's sweater next season.

It will be awkward to see Jonathan Toews go into the Hall of Fame someday as a Blackhawk and a Winnipeg Jet. His career narrative should have included only playing with the Blackhawks. Instead, it will have this Winnipeg footnote.

Toews has earned the right to continue his legendary career elsewhere. The Blackhawks did not want him anymore after the 2022-23 season concluded. Toews has worked hard to get back into game shape after taking a hiatus to address health issues.

He is now recovered from long COVID-19 and Chronic Inflammatory Response Syndrome. Toews wants to end his career on better terms than two ailments driving him from the game.

At least, he is returning with his hometown team. If he was not going to end his career in Chicago, going back home and competing for one last Stanley Cup is a nice way for Toews to go out.

All that is left for Toews after he retires is his No. 19 being retired and hung in the United Center rafters, a statue to go up in the United Center Atrium, and a Hall of Fame induction.

His Hall of Fame certainty has recently been slightly called into question.

The Athletic's Peter Baugh (subscription required) recently analyzed current star players' cases for induction. He did not have Toews in his top tier. He reserved that tier for players who could retire today and would be a lock for enshrinement.

Baugh instead puts Toews in between first and second tier status. He describes that level as almost being in top-tier status, if not already there.

He lists how Toews was the team's captain during the Brad Aldrich scandal (subscription required). Players were reported to have bullied Kyle Beach after rumors circulated regarding what happened between Aldrich and Beach. Maybe had Toews realized Aldrich allegedly sexually assaulted Beach, he could have put a stop to the harassment.

Toews also sounded so callous when he defended Stan Bowman after the former general manager was fired, after the details of his role in the cover-up came out in the Jenner Report.

Toews later did come out and say he wished he could have done more to help Beach.

Baugh also noted Toews' stats do not scream automatic induction.

Baugh makes an interesting case to split hairs over why Toews is not in the same class as Sidney Crosby. One on hand, it lays out that maybe Toews being a first-ballot Hall of Famer is not a slam dunk.

On the other hand, do say the box-score stats do not scream automation induction ignores that Hockey Reference has his career being similar to Hall of Famers Mark Messier, Sergei Fedorov, Adam Oates, Henrik Sedin, and Jeremy Roenick.

Messier, Fedorov, and Sedin were all first ballot Hall of Famers. Although Roenick had to wait a bit because of some controversies.

Toews did win a Conn Smythe, a Selke Trophy, and made four All-Star appearances. He did captain the Hawks to three Stanley Cups.

You will not find many players better at winning faceoffs. He also had a great overall game as a tremendous two-way player.

His ties to the Aldrich scandal are about the only stain on his career. Duncan Keith and Marian Hossa were on those teams, and they got in on their first time on the ballot. Keith was an alternate captain on those squads.

If those two legends can easily get in, Toews should too.