With Patrick Kane making a return to the Chicago Blackhawks on a two-year contract, some attention has shifted to Kane's former teammate, Jonathan Toews.
Toews and Kane were teammates in Chicago for 15 seasons, winning three Stanley Cups together, and formed one of the most iconic duos of this past generation.
We can't help but wonder whether they'll be reunited.
Toews has gone through a heavy hockey and health journey over the past few years, fighting through long COVID-19. He even spent several weeks in India going through an Ayurvedic detox to heal.
That kept him out of hockey for two whole seasons, until he returned to the NHL with his hometown team, the Winnipeg Jets, for this past season. Following 2025-26, he announced his retirement, but there are some murmurs that we may not have seen the end of Toews in the NHL.
At the press conference to introduce Kane back to Chicago, GM Kyle Davidson was asked about the possibility of Toews also coming back to his longtime home on a one-day contract.
"We'd love to have Jonathan back and bring him back," Davidson said. "Nothing is set in stone or anything, but I think it's likely we'll go down (that path).
Later that week, Kane was a guest on the Pardon My Take show and shared an interaction he had with Toews after rejoining the Blackhawks.
'" Kane said on the show. "He was like,'I'm thinking about it.
So with Davidson seemingly on board to bring back the former Blackhawks captain, and Toews himself saying he's considering it, it's possible that he wears that jersey once again.
But how would that work?
With the Jets this past year, Toews recorded 11 goals and 29 points in 82 games. He's not the player he once was and would be brought in for the sole purpose of a good story, as well as his leadership and mentorship.
As heartfelt as a return to Chicago for both Kane and Toews would be for the hockey world and the city, it may not be the best idea for the Blackhawks franchise from a business and performance standpoint.
The Blackhawks have struggled for several years now. In fact, they've finished last in the Central Division for the past four years. Therefore, it's not exactly the best time to put focus on feel-good stories, especially since Connor Bedard is entering his fourth NHL season and doesn't know what it's like to not finish a season outside of the bottom three of the league.
Nonetheless, there is a middle ground that Chicago and Toews could and should agree to. That would be to give Toews the Marc-Andre Fleury treatment that the Pittsburgh Penguins orchestrated in pre-season ahead of this past year.
Fleury retired from the NHL when the Minnesota Wild were eliminated from the Stanley Cup playoffs in 2024-2025. But going into the following campaign, he signed a professional tryout contract with Pittsburgh and ended up playing one pre-season game with the team he won three Stanley Cups with.
It allowed the legendary goaltender to receive the proper farewell he deserved from his longtime team, gave life to a pre-season game that likely wouldn't have otherwise, and gave fans something sentimental to cheer about. It was a wonderful moment for the franchise, for Fleury, and his former teammates.
The Blackhawks should really consider doing the same for Toews, especially with Kane back on the team.
The only issue with this is that the NHL pre-season is different this year than in previous campaigns. Instead of teams playing five or more pre-season contests, players may only get a couple of outings to prove themselves to the organization.
So, for this potential Toews farewell pre-season spectacle, he'd be taking someone else's spot on the roster. Someone who would benefit from the ice time, spotlight and opportunity of playing in a limited pre-season game.
Regardless, if it does happen for Toews and the Blackhawks, it will certainly be an unforgettable day for Chicago and the NHL.