The Chicago Blackhawks will not be the team to sign Jonathan Toews if he does return to the National Hockey League. Chicago’s leaders have already made this clear through their actions over the past 36 months.
However, there is plenty of room for Toews in the NHL. His offensive upside may not be what it once was, but being a reliable two-way center is absolutely in the cards. It would also be a bit surprising if he wasn’t good at faceoffs either.
Toews would likely sign with a contender, but he would also have the opportunity to play a leadership role on a low-end team in the standings. There are plenty of good options for him in this route as well.
In addition to the teams that make sense for Toews, there are some terrible destinations for the former Chicago Blackhawks captain. These are the three teams that Toews must avoid at all costs because the situation is terrible:
Nashville Predators – Not only would Toews just look wrong in a Nashville Predators sweater, but this is a team to avoid if you’re an older player looking for one more kick.
Over the summer, Nashville had the most fun offseason. They signed Steven Stamkos, Jonathan Marchessault and Brady Skjei in free agency. After reaching the playoffs last year, people thought these measures would become a legitimate threat again.
This season they have been nothing short of a disaster. Nashville is one of the best cities in the country, but its hockey team needs a complete overhaul before it becomes good again. Toews needs to stay away.
Buffalo swords – There is no worse team right now than the Buffalo Sabres. A few teams may have fewer points in the standings, but Buffalo came in hoping to finally pounce and they fell back again.
Buffalo has the longest active playoff drought in the NHL. Because of how bad the situation is there, this is a team that a guy like Toews should stay away from.
Sure, playing with guys like Rasmus Dahlin, Tage Thompson and Owen Power could be fun for him, but there aren’t many wins. Toews wants to win.
Seattle Kraken – The Seattle Kraken organization is not in a good place right now. Since shocking the world with a playoff victory over (at the time) defending Stanley Cup champion Colorado Avalanche in 2023, everything has gone wrong.
Jonathan Toews would have good playing time with them, but you know a competitor like him wants to win. They are far from competing for the Stanley Cup and Toews is not interested in a rebuild.
He would be a big help to younger players like Matty Beniers, Shane Wright and Kappo Kakko, but Toews won’t return to be a full-time mentor. He will do it naturally but man wants to win. There is no significant victory coming in Seattle anytime soon.
If the Blackhawks weren’t against bringing Toews back (for whatever reason), they would be a better destination than those three thanks to Connor Bedard. Nashville, Buffalo and Seattle don’t have hope for the future of the Hawks and their group of elite prospects.
Toews’ return is not yet guaranteed but he will try. This could happen before the deadline or over the summer as next season approaches. Ultimately, you can expect him to choose a high-profile suitor. A few great teams I would love to have it.
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