Before the Winnipeg Jets’ home opener against the Dallas Stars on Thursday night, Jonathan Toews spoke openly about his long road back from illness and his readiness to compete again. You could see the determination in his eyes — that old drive that made him one of hockey’s great leaders. Captain Serious was just that.
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Sure enough, when the puck dropped, he proved it. Toews logged over 18 minutes and registered a shot on goal, a solid showing even as the Jets fell 5–4. The result wasn’t what Winnipeg wanted, but seeing Toews battle and push his once-limited body through that kind of workload was a victory in itself.
Toews Was Beyond Ready to Hit the Ice for the Jets
In the interview below, Toews sounded like a man who just wanted to be a hockey player again. Not a patient, not a story, not an inspirational comeback headline — just a player who wanted desperately to play. He was beyond ready for game action.
When he spoke before the Jets’ season opener, Toews’s voice carried a mix of gratitude and fatigue. Gratitude for being home, skating in front of family and friends in Winnipeg. Fatigue from years of talking about his health instead of his game. “I kinda wanna stop talking about it,” he said quietly. “I just wanna go play hockey and be part of this team.”
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You could hear the weariness in that line — and the hope. While the game’s outcome was less than a winner like Toews would have wanted, a roaring ovation and the ability to lace up the skates had to be life-changing – no overstatement at all.
Toews’ Long Road Back to the Jets
Toews’s ordeal with long COVID and chronic immune system issues has stretched over several seasons, taking him away from the game he’s loved since childhood. For a player whose reputation was built on relentless preparation and consistency, the unpredictability of his own body had to have been maddening.
Jonathan Toews, Winnipeg Jets (Terrence Lee-Imagn Images)
He went from captaining the Chicago Blackhawks to Stanley Cup glory to struggling to get through daily workouts without hitting a wall of exhaustion. There were days he couldn’t recover, couldn’t sleep, couldn’t make sense of what his body was doing. The toughest part, by his own admission, was that it wasn’t about desire — it was about capacity. The engine that had always powered him wouldn’t turn over.
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It’s hard to imagine how much that eats at a professional athlete. When everything that has defined you — leadership, stamina, competitiveness — suddenly disappears, it’s not just your career that’s in question. It’s your identity.
Toews Showed a Quiet Determination to Continue Playing Hockey
That’s why his words this week carried such quiet power. Toews isn’t proclaiming a grand comeback or promising big numbers. He’s simply talking like a man who’s ready to move forward. “I’m confident I can contribute to this team,” he said. “It’s a long season, and I’m just happy and grateful to be back at that point.”
There’s perspective in that sentence — earned the hard way. Toews has learned that recovery isn’t linear and that sometimes the best thing you can do is simplify. Be where your skates are. Play the next shift.
Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane were teammates when they were with the Chicago Blackhawks.
(Amy Irvin / The Hockey Writers)
For the first time, he was able to do that in front of a Winnipeg crowd that had watched his whole journey, from Shattuck-St. Mary’s to North Dakota to three Stanley Cups in Chicago. This time, the local boy gets to wear the home sweater. And, he’s actually playing again after what he had to overcome.
Last Night’s Game Was More Than a Comeback for Toews
Toews’s return isn’t about proving doubters wrong. It’s about taking back his life. It was about rediscovering balance. Long COVID and immune dysfunction leave scars — not always visible, but real. They change how you think about energy, rest, and ambition. Toews seems to have accepted that. He’s not trying to be the 25-year-old captain again; he’s just trying to be a part of the action.
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Maybe that’s what makes this next chapter so interesting. The Jets don’t need Toews to be a saviour — they need his experience, voice, and understanding of what it takes to endure will be as valuable as any goal he scores.
After everything he’s been through, “putting these years behind him” isn’t just a cliché — it’s a milestone. The years of fatigue, uncertainty, and endless questions about his health are finally giving way to something simpler: the chance to play.
Winnipeg Jets centre Jonathan Toews looks for a shot in front of Dallas Stars goaltender Jake Oettinger (James Carey Lauder-Imagn Images)
“I just wanna go play hockey,” Toews said. It might be the most grounded thing he’s ever said. Because I’m a fan of anyone trying to reclaim their life after a huge setback, what a treat to see Toews on Winnipeg ice as a member of the Jets. Watching him skate out to the cheers was a heart-warming moment.
Welcome back, Jonathan Toews.
