Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews were the dynamic duo of the Blackhawks, and were key pieces in each one of the team's three Stanley Cup titles.
Toews was a Blackhawk to the end of the 2023 season, when he'd step away from professional hockey to focus on his health. And now, with Toews' latest interviews, he's stated that it could possibly happen in the future.
For now, we have to ponder the thought as Ben Pope of the Chicago Sun-Times asked Patrick Kane about the prospect of Toews' returning.
Much like Kane, we hope Toews is healthy enough to return when and if he chooses to do so. And while it seems a return to the Blackhawks may be out of the cards, with Nick Foligno holding the leadership title, the options for Toews' return will be numerous.
For Kane the competitor, we're sure he'd like to battle it out on the ice with his old friend, and linemate in the NHL.
The dynamics of the two facing off against one another is something we would have only seen in the Olympics or IIHF competition.
With that time passed it seems we'll have to be patient and wait for Toews to make a final decision.
As GM Kyle Davidson did not renew his contract in 2023, Toews is a free agent and could sign where he pleases.
Would he return home to Winnipeg, or sign with Colorado, or Montreal?
The NHL has a home for Stanley Cup winners, and given that Head Coach John Tortorella has ridden one Stanley Cup ( in 2004) for this long, Toews should fare well enough in the league.
Toews has played 1,067 games in the NHL, scored 833 points ( 372 G, 511 A), and won three Stanley Cups.
A return to the NHL could be an underdog story that we could root for.