Canadian centre Jonathan Toews, one of the top forwards of his generation, a three-time Stanley Cup, two-time Olympic and one-time World Champion, today confirmed his retirement from hockey at the age of 38, following a single season return to his hometown Winnipeg Jets after his career was put on hold due to health issues.

The third overall pick of the 2006 NHL Draft, Toews joined the Blackhawks in 2007 after a successful collegiate career at the University of North Dakota, being named team captain after just one season, leading Chicago to the playoffs that same year. This would begin Toews’ ascent as the centrepiece of a new Hawks dynasty, helping to end a 49-year Cup drought in 2010, winning the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP at age 22. Making the playoffs for nine straight seasons and winning Cups again in 2013 and 2015, “Captain Serious” also captured the Selke (2013) and Messier (2015) trophies, was a six-time NHL All-Star, and is a member of both the Triple Gold Club and the NHL Top 100 Players.

However, his health took a turn following the COVID-19 pandemic, with immune issues forcing him to miss the entire 2020-21 season, and holding him to incomplete seasons over his final two terms in Chicago; after sixteen seasons in Chicago, with fifteen as captain, Toews’ contract expired, and he sat out two NHL seasons before returning to the Jets in 2025. After seventeen NHL seasons, Toews notched 383 goals and 912 points in 1,149 career games, along with another 119 points in 137 career playoff games.

Toews first joined Team Canada at the 2006 World Juniors, capturing Gold, and returning again in 2007, entering himself into World Juniors lore by scoring thrice in the Semifinal shootout against Team USA, en route to Canada’s third straight Gold Medal. Toews was a member of both the 2007 and 2008 World Championship teams, capturing Gold and Silver respectively, marking his only appearances due to Chicago’s playoff successes. Toews would capture even more Gold in both of his Olympic appearances in 2010 and 2014 (scoring the game-winning goal in the latter), along with the 2016 World Cup Of Hockey, marking a nearly perfect international medal record.

Toews captured the IHLC six times over the course of his career, winning his first in 2005 at a World Juniors exhibition game, his last coming eleven years later in the lead-up to the World Cup Of Hockey. We wish Jonathan and his family the very best for his retirement and the things to come!

Photo Credit: Bleacher Report – IIHF – HHOF – IOC