The Blackhawks have a clear move to make with forward Ilya Mikheyev.<\/p>\n
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Video Transcript<\/p>\n
Let’s go to a positive story here.<\/p>\n
Let’s go to a positive story here.<\/p>\n
Jonathan Toews got a hero’s welcome in Chicago.<\/p>\n
Jonathan Toews got a hero’s welcome in Chicago.<\/p>\n
Playing his first game against the Blackhawks, as he is now of course with his hometown Winnipeg Jets.<\/p>\n
Playing his first game against the Blackhawks, as he is now of course with his hometown Winnipeg Jets.<\/p>\n
Toews an absolute franchise icon for the Hawks.<\/p>\n
Toews an absolute franchise icon for the Hawks.<\/p>\n
Captain Serious himself, future Hall of Famer, three Stanley Cups, in the Windy City.<\/p>\n
Captain Serious himself, future Hall of Famer, three Stanley Cups, in the Windy City.<\/p>\n
gets a long-standing ovation, had a great tribute.<\/p>\n
gets a long-standing ovation, had a great tribute.<\/p>\n
Mike, I’ll go to you first on this one.<\/p>\n
Mike, I’ll go to you first on this one.<\/p>\n
What’s your favorite example of a player returning, quote-unquote, “home”, with his new team?<\/p>\n
What’s your favorite example of a player returning, quote-unquote, “home”, with his new team?<\/p>\n
Well, f- first off, Ryan, I had goosebumps watching that, and I think, you know, you didn’t have to be a Blackhawks fan or even a Toews fan, and side note, Drew, I don’t know, man.<\/p>\n
Well, f- first off, Ryan, I had goosebumps watching that, and I think, you know, you didn’t have to be a Blackhawks fan or even a Toews fan, and side note, Drew, I don’t know, man.<\/p>\n
I saw your comment on Twitter.<\/p>\n
I saw your comment on Twitter.<\/p>\n
You’re, you’re saying that, you know, every young center was modeling their game after Jonathan Toews.<\/p>\n
You’re, you’re saying that, you know, every young center was modeling their game after Jonathan Toews.<\/p>\n
I 100% agree.<\/p>\n
I 100% agree.<\/p>\n
you talk to coaches, you know, every coach was probably saying, “Watch how Jonathan Toews plays, not just offensively, in the defensive end and in his assignments.”<\/p>\n
you talk to coaches, you know, every coach was probably saying, “Watch how Jonathan Toews plays, not just offensively, in the defensive end and in his assignments.”<\/p>\n
“That’s how you have to play if you wanna get to that next level.”<\/p>\n
“That’s how you have to play if you wanna get to that next level.”<\/p>\n
So I agree with everything you said.<\/p>\n
So I agree with everything you said.<\/p>\n
People that don’t appreciate Jonathan Toews, I don’t know what you’ve been watching during that whole Stanley Cup run and- Yeah his dynasty, era with the Blackhawks.<\/p>\n
People that don’t appreciate Jonathan Toews, I don’t know what you’ve been watching during that whole Stanley Cup run and- Yeah his dynasty, era with the Blackhawks.<\/p>\n
So just first and foremost, it was incredible just how long that ovation was.<\/p>\n
So just first and foremost, it was incredible just how long that ovation was.<\/p>\n
Right.<\/p>\n
Right.<\/p>\n
No, I’ve never seen that before.<\/p>\n
No, I’ve never seen that before.<\/p>\n
Like, he, he was at one point going, “All right, enough, enough.”<\/p>\n
Like, he, he was at one point going, “All right, enough, enough.”<\/p>\n
Like, “There’s, there’s a game to be played here, guys.”<\/p>\n
Like, “There’s, there’s a game to be played here, guys.”<\/p>\n
Yeah.<\/p>\n
Yeah.<\/p>\n
“I, I gotta go home after this.”<\/p>\n
“I, I gotta go home after this.”<\/p>\n
So that was amazing.<\/p>\n
So that was amazing.<\/p>\n
you asked me what was the, the best kind of homecoming.<\/p>\n
you asked me what was the, the best kind of homecoming.<\/p>\n
I- I’ll go Mats Sundin when he came back to Toronto with the Vancouver Canucks.<\/p>\n
I- I’ll go Mats Sundin when he came back to Toronto with the Vancouver Canucks.<\/p>\n
Yeah.<\/p>\n
Yeah.<\/p>\n
Had a similar situation.<\/p>\n
Had a similar situation.<\/p>\n
Like, you I, I think they showed, like, a close-up of Mats Sundin, and there were, like, tears in his eyes.<\/p>\n
Like, you I, I think they showed, like, a close-up of Mats Sundin, and there were, like, tears in his eyes.<\/p>\n
Like, it was to the point where you’re going, “Why is he even on the ice?”<\/p>\n
Like, it was to the point where you’re going, “Why is he even on the ice?”<\/p>\n
Like, put him on the bench for the, the faceoff.<\/p>\n
Like, put him on the bench for the, the faceoff.<\/p>\n
And at least with, like, some of these homecomings, they the coach is wise enough to say, like, “All right, you don’t have to go on the ice now.<\/p>\n
And at least with, like, some of these homecomings, they the coach is wise enough to say, like, “All right, you don’t have to go on the ice now.<\/p>\n
Like, you, you can just stay on the bench,” because- Yeah there’s a lot of emotions, I imagine, for a guy like Toews and for a lot of these guys who spent their entire career with one team, and now they have to go into the visiting room.<\/p>\n
Like, you, you can just stay on the bench,” because- Yeah there’s a lot of emotions, I imagine, for a guy like Toews and for a lot of these guys who spent their entire career with one team, and now they have to go into the visiting room.<\/p>\n
So, you know, well done by Chicago fans.<\/p>\n
So, you know, well done by Chicago fans.<\/p>\n
that, that is such a great market.<\/p>\n
that, that is such a great market.<\/p>\n
I think once they start winning again, it’s gonna be fantastic for Connor Bedard and that next gen. Yeah, and I mean, it’s funny.<\/p>\n
I think once they start winning again, it’s gonna be fantastic for Connor Bedard and that next gen. Yeah, and I mean, it’s funny.<\/p>\n
I got killed by so many Like, Pittsburgh people were writing me saying And what I meant by this is, like, when I was growing up as a kid, like, I didn’t think I had the ability to be Sidney Crosby.<\/p>\n
I got killed by so many Like, Pittsburgh people were writing me saying And what I meant by this is, like, when I was growing up as a kid, like, I didn’t think I had the ability to be Sidney Crosby.<\/p>\n
Yeah.<\/p>\n
Yeah.<\/p>\n
So people are, like, comparing Sidney Crosby and Jonathan Toews.<\/p>\n
So people are, like, comparing Sidney Crosby and Jonathan Toews.<\/p>\n
But yes, clearly Sidney Crosby’s one of the top five players of all time.<\/p>\n
But yes, clearly Sidney Crosby’s one of the top five players of all time.<\/p>\n
But Jonathan Toews was a guy who just did everything so well that as a young player, it’s like you thought you could do, you could become more like Jonathan Toews than you could Sidney Crosby.<\/p>\n
But Jonathan Toews was a guy who just did everything so well that as a young player, it’s like you thought you could do, you could become more like Jonathan Toews than you could Sidney Crosby.<\/p>\n
Yeah.<\/p>\n
Yeah.<\/p>\n
Now, I think that if you look at his thing, I mean, he’s got three Stanley Cups, won the Conn Smythe at 22 years old, two Olympic gold medals.<\/p>\n
Now, I think that if you look at his thing, I mean, he’s got three Stanley Cups, won the Conn Smythe at 22 years old, two Olympic gold medals.<\/p>\n
And to me, that was the coolest return of, like Michael said, anywhere that I’ve witnessed in a long time.<\/p>\n
And to me, that was the coolest return of, like Michael said, anywhere that I’ve witnessed in a long time.<\/p>\n
I think, too, just, like, everything he did, I mean, how bad that team was for so long.<\/p>\n
I think, too, just, like, everything he did, I mean, how bad that team was for so long.<\/p>\n
Mm-hmm.<\/p>\n
Mm-hmm.<\/p>\n
And then the era.<\/p>\n
And then the era.<\/p>\n
I mean, there’s people I know in Chicago who literally said that the Blackhawks, like, gave them a very enjoyable 10 years of their life, just all the fun they were able to have through these playoff runs.<\/p>\n
I mean, there’s people I know in Chicago who literally said that the Blackhawks, like, gave them a very enjoyable 10 years of their life, just all the fun they were able to have through these playoff runs.<\/p>\n
And, he’s just a guy that, like you said, not only Like, people are talking about his points, and that’s another thing.<\/p>\n
And, he’s just a guy that, like you said, not only Like, people are talking about his points, and that’s another thing.<\/p>\n
Like, he wasn’t a guy who, who scored 100 points every year.<\/p>\n
Like, he wasn’t a guy who, who scored 100 points every year.<\/p>\n
Mm-hmm.<\/p>\n
Mm-hmm.<\/p>\n
But he was a guy who you’d have on the ice if you needed a goal.<\/p>\n
But he was a guy who you’d have on the ice if you needed a goal.<\/p>\n
You’d have a guy on the ice taking the faceoff if you had to protect a lead, and he was just kind of the ultimate professional throughout his entire career.<\/p>\n
You’d have a guy on the ice taking the faceoff if you had to protect a lead, and he was just kind of the ultimate professional throughout his entire career.<\/p>\n
So I thought it was awesome.<\/p>\n
So I thought it was awesome.<\/p>\n
And, kind of going back to echoing what Michael said, it’s like Chicago as a sports town, it’s like I can’t wait for the Blackhawks to be good again, ’cause it’s just such a fun market to have involved in the game, and, it was awesome to see.<\/p>\n
And, kind of going back to echoing what Michael said, it’s like Chicago as a sports town, it’s like I can’t wait for the Blackhawks to be good again, ’cause it’s just such a fun market to have involved in the game, and, it was awesome to see.<\/p>\n