It has not been a good season for the Chicago Blackhawks. They have transitioned from Stan Bowman to Kyle Davidson in the General Manager role. Davidson said he was going to start a rebuild, and that is what he did come to the deadline. But, unlike Stan, Davidson stuck to his plan and shipped guys out who were loved in the locker room and by the fans for the team’s betterment.
Toews especially has had the most frustrating season of his career. It took twenty-six games for him to notch his first goal of the season, and he hasn’t necessarily caught fire since that. Toews is coming back from missing over a year due to health issues. Toews has publicly stated that he does not feel he played his best hockey. “Obviously, I should say these last few years have been frustrating, and as that saying goes in hockey, you’re only as good as your last game; it’s tough not to think that way sometimes. In my heart, I feel like I haven’t played my best hockey in my career,” Toews said. Toews may be optimistic that his best hockey is still ahead, but his play would suggest otherwise. On the season, Toews has eight goals and eighteen assists for twenty-six points and has a -9 plus-minus.
Hagel’s trade again sparked Toews to get on his soapbox and start playing the world’s smallest violin. When Toews got asked about the Hagel trade, he responded, “I’m not going to lie, it was disheartening to see a couple of really good friends go… When you cultivate that chemistry and friendship and connection with your teammates, you want to keep building off it. So it’s definitely a little disheartening.” Toews would also add, “For the longest time, the thought never entered my mind to leave Chicago. And in this case, you can’t help but picture yourself and what it’d be like to play for another team and what that experience would bring. The thought pops into your mind. But Chicago is my home.”
I fully understand that Toews is a true competitor, but coming out and making comments like this is nothing but a distraction for the Blackhawks. He’s the Captain of this organization and should be setting the standard for young guys like Reichel. Instead, this season, Toews has been throwing himself a pity party. Toews look in the mirror, and you’ll see one primary reason the Blackhawks need to rebuild. With a cap hit of 10.5 million, Toews takes up 12.9% of the Blackhawks cap space. Toews has not even come close to living up to his contract. If Toews were making half that, the Blackhawks could field a much deeper roster around him.
Toews has three Stanley Cup, a Conn Smyth, Olympic gold, Selke Trophy, five-time all-star, and the youngest member of the triple gold club. He will get a statue at the United Center, and his number nineteen will be in the rafters. So get off your soapbox and play out the season. Say the right things and set an example. Just look at your counterpart Kane. Stop crying in the media. Your getting paid McDavid money while putting up third-line stats. Toews start to perform on the ice before complaining to the press about going through a rebuild.
Now to be clear, Toews is an all-time great Blackhawks. Without him, the Blackhawks never win the three cups. Toews will go to the Hockey Hall of Fame. Some Blackhawks fans jumped on Twitter and said he shouldn’t wear the “C” anymore; let’s all calm down. He deserves to wear the “C” as long he is in Chicago. Toews is the Captain and always will be Captain Serious, get off the pity wagon and play hockey.
Discover more from Inside The Rink
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
Clify. Bash Toews all you want, you are one of a very few disgruntled arm chair quarterbacks. He gave his blood to this team, every time he laced up. He is entitled to his opinion as you are. Without him, Chicago would have never won 3 trophies. His legacy will go down as the greatest Chicago captain ever. You have no clue what its like to be the leader of an NHL team. You have a keyboard.
Amen
I was a Hawk fan of 65 plus years until Kyle Beach’s case became public. ” I lost all my respect for “Captain Serious” who made excuses for the former general manager, and organization, for not at least calling the police and have an investigation into the allegation. In his few interviews, he said that they were too involved with the Philadelphia Flyers planning, and playing hockey, trying to win the Stanley Cup. I was very disappointed to hear this and his very weak other excuses. You say Alvin that this captain gave his blood to the team? Wouldn’t you for 10. 5 million a year, with a no trade clause, as Clifton Ramey points out? In the locker room, as leader, the captain brings to the attention of management, problems that need to be addressed, something he didn’t do in Kyle Beach’s case. Mr. Stan Mikita, one Stanley Cup winner, Hart Trophy winner, Lady Byng Trophy winner, scoring championship trophy, 20 plus seasons as a player, ambassador for the Hawks, in my opinion, is the best captain and Black Hawk this organization will ever have. I worked for 32 years as a public servant and I didn’t earn one million dollars. This person makes 10x as much as that in 10 months! Mr. Toews confuses Hawk fans about his long term plans. One minute he is retiring because of a health issue, and then in the next interview, he will play despite the health problem. Lastly, I am a knowledgeable hockey fan with a keyboard. I am proud of that.
True Toews and Kane would have won more then 3cups if they did not dismantle the team every time they won the cup Blackhawks forever get rid of this Davidson clown before he destroys what we have left of a team
Amen!
why not give davidson a chance stan ruined the team and let the players loaf its going to be hard road ahead and the culture here is very bad also with the jones trade he traded our future away