Chicago Blackhawks legend Jonathan Toews practically looks retired

If Jonathan Toews was going to make his return to the NHL by now, he would be sharing pictures of him working out on Instagram and he would have signed with another team.

Instead, the legendary Chicago Blackhawks' captain looks like he is enjoying the retired life by surfing and going to Burning Man.

Toews still has not officially announced his retirement, but it looks less and less likely he will be returning this season.

The captain of three Stanley Cup Championship teams said he was stepping away from hockey after the conclusion of the 2022-2023 season but he did not declare himself retired.

The Blackhawks had announced that they would move on from their legendary captain after his contract expired late that season. Instead of signing with another franchise, Toews decided he needed last season off because...

“My focus is to give myself the time and space to fully heal and enjoy life to the fullest once again,” he posted on Instagram. “Along the way I have met several people who have struggled with health issues pertaining to long COVID, chronic immune response syndrome, and other similar cases that are quite complex. I now recognize the importance of one day sharing the details of my health journey with you all.”

The hope is Toews enjoys surfing and attending festivals that he will eventually announce he will retire as a Blackhawk. He did say in his announcement last summer that skating for another team was the furthest thing from his mind.

His public appearances have been rare since he skated off the United Center ice on April 13th, 2023. That was an amazing way to end a Hall of Fame career as he scored a goal in his final game with the Blackhawks.

Toews looks like he is in a better place after enduring some rough health issues. Those issues also hurt his play on the ice. In the last couple of years, he looked nothing like a former Conn Smythe and Selke Trophy winner. The physical nature in which he played was bound to also decline his production on the back end of his career.

Dealing with long-COVID did not help his game age gracefully either.

Maybe an official announcement will ever come. He seems to be enjoying life away from the spotlight. He probably does have to officially file some sort of retirement paperwork for Hall of Fame eligibility. If it does, it might be a short press release rather than a major gathering and emotional speech.

The next time Blackhawks fans will probably see Toews is hopefully at his number retirement ceremony. That would be better to see than him returning in say, a Winnipeg Jets sweater, as that would be too painful to watch.