Jonathan Toews didn’t know if he’d ever return to the game he loves at the National Hockey League level, but after two years away due to health reasons, Toews has almost completed his first full regular season back and hasn’t missed a game.

It was announced Wednesday that Toews would be the Winnipeg Jets’ Masterton Trophy nominee – an award presented annually by the NHL to the player who best exemplifies perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey.

“It has been a good reminder that it is an honour to play in this league and play this sport at the highest level, and it means a lot to me,” said Toews after practice Wednesday. “It has been a special year with a lot of learning and a lot of growth, and I am thankful for it all.”

In a season with a condensed schedule due to the Olympic break, Toews said he’s most proud of his body’s ability to recover and maintain the health needed to suit up for all 77 games so far.

“You could be in your mid- to late-20s and in the best shape of your life, and it is still a tough year and the recovery is not easy. So coming into this season, having missed the last two years, there were quite a few adjustments made in order to stay healthy at this level and keep pushing through on days where you are not really feeling great,” added Toews. “I am happy with that. Knock on wood, I am trying to stay healthy through thick and thin and trying to work on my game and do the best I can every day to help this team, regardless of where I am in the lineup.”

It’s that type of attitude teammates have appreciated about Toews this season, including Kyle Connor, who was delighted to find out about the nomination.

“I didn’t know that, but that’s awesome,” said Connor when told of the nomination by a member of the media. “He’s obviously been through so much and has had a lot of success in his career, and you really see it with a lot of the young guys … He just really sheds light.”

Toews was a key reason the team’s power-play woes were lifted in its most recent win against Seattle on Monday. It marked the first time this season the Jets scored three power-play goals in a game, with Toews getting the first and adding an assist on the second.

“From Day 1, you could just tell the presence that he had in this room and the type of teammate he was, and I think he just elevates everybody around him,” added Connor.

There have been ups and downs for Toews this year in terms of production, with 10 goals and 17 assists, but one category he has dominated is faceoffs. Among players who have taken at least 200 faceoffs this season, Toews ranks fifth in faceoff win percentage at 61.4 per cent.

“I’ve had a couple of good players over the years, but I don’t know if I’ve ever seen a guy that can do what he does,” Scott Arniel said about Toews’ abilities at the dot. “Both forehand, backhand, against big guys, against quick guys … that’s just special to see.”

Whether Toews wins the Masterton Trophy or not, his impact has been felt throughout the Jets’ dressing room this season. He has often been praised for his wisdom, leadership and ability to connect with everyone.

“He’s put an awful lot of work into this. He wasn’t sure how this was all going to play out,” added Arniel. “For the league to recognize it and for us to recognize it, it’s great.”

The Jets continue their playoff push against the St. Louis Blues on Thursday evening, with both teams still in the race for the second wild-card spot in the Western Conference. Puck drop is at 7 p.m. CT on TSN3.