Three-time Stanley Cup champion Jonathan Toews ended his playing career on Friday. The 38-year-old center made his official retirement announcement during a press conference at the Jonathan Toews Sportsplex in his hometown of Winnipeg, Manitoba.
Toews spent 15 of his 16 NHL seasons with the Chicago Blackhawks before finishing his run with a comeback year for the Winnipeg Jets. He missed the entire 2023-24 and 2024-25 seasons while managing Long COVID and Chronic Inflammatory Response Syndrome. Returning to the ice for the 2025-26 campaign, he played all 82 regular-season games for Winnipeg, scoring 11 goals and adding 18 assists.
Chicago drafted Toews third overall in 2006. The franchise named him captain on July 18, 2008, when he was 20 years and 79 days old, making him the youngest captain in team history. He led the Blackhawks to Stanley Cup championships in 2010, 2013, and 2015. He also won the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP in 2010 and the Selke Trophy as the league’s top defensive forward in 2013.
His final career statistics include 912 points with 383 goals and 529 assists across 1,149 regular-season games. He added another 119 points in 137 playoff contests. Internationally, Toews secured two Olympic gold medals for Team Canada in 2010 and 2014, along with a World Cup of Hockey gold in 2016.
His return to the league this season earned him a nomination as a finalist for the 2026 Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy, which recognizes perseverance and dedication to hockey. The Chicago Blackhawks responded to the retirement on social media on Friday, posting a video montage with the caption, “forever your biggest fans ❤️1️⃣9️⃣❤️”.