Jonathan Toews will officially return to the NHL next season, ending a two-year hiatus that many fans expected was more likely to lead him into retirement than back to the rink. On Friday, the 37-year-old center who captained the Chicago Blackhawks to three Stanley Cups agreed to a one-year deal with his hometown Winnipeg Jets.

The deal will be official when free agency opens on July 1.

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Toews stepped away from hockey at the end of the 2022-23 season. He played in just 53 games that season as his body continued to break down from battles with long COVID and Chronic Immune Response Syndrome. Following the expiration of his contract with the Blackhawks, the center chose to not seek a new team while he addressed his health — a journey eventually took him to India last December.

While the Jets are certainly adding a savvy veteran, it’s also clear they aren’t quite sure what Toews will be able to offer throughout the course of a regular season and playoff run. Look no further than his reported contract details.

It’s worth noting that Jets general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff was the assistant GM of the Blackhawks during the early portion of Toews’ career from 2009-2011. There’s a certain level of familiarity there. Cheveldayoff knows all about the intangibles Toews can bring to a locker room.

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But he also clearly knows about all the uncertainties here. That Toews would earn a bonus just for skating in 20 games — and every 10 games after until 60 after — sets rather low, if not reasonable expectations. It’s unclear if Toews will need a conditioning stint in the AHL (if he’d be open to it) or what his role will be on the team.

Per The Athletic:

As a UFA, all Toews costs is cash, so Winnipeg’s bet on him as a potential 2C — or as a third-line centre if the Jets run Adam Lowry’s line as hard as they’ve done for the past three seasons — is highly sensible. The Jets will be able to take a good, long look at Toews’ ability ahead of the deadline before looking for any additional upgrades. And even if Toews struggles to make a top six impact, he’s been such a strong faceoff performer throughout his career that he’ll be dependable as a depth option who can be trusted for key defensive zone draws — something the Jets don’t often trust their current 2C, Vladislav Namestnikov, to do.

Signing Toews is an incredibly low-risk, high-reward move that’s also just straight up great public relations. Manitoba is home to Toews Lake and the Jonathan Toews Community Centre, both of which were renamed for the forward. But if it doesn’t work out, if Toews can’t manage 20 games, then the team that won the President’s Trophy last year isn’t on the hook for much.

The club has all the talent it needs to win a Stanley Cup. Now it has another veteran who knows how to finish the job. So long as he can stay on the ice. That part remains to be seen.

This article originally appeared on For The Win: Jonathan Toews’ incentive-laden contract shows Winnipeg Jets’ concerns