The homecoming is happening for Jonathan Toews.

The St. Vital product has decided to make his NHL comeback with the Winnipeg Jets, agreeing to terms on a one-year contract as he returns to the league after a two-year absence related to his health.

The contract, which will officially be filed on July 1, reportedly has a base salary of US$2 million with up to US$5 million in bonuses.

Jonathan Toews (Jeffrey T. Barnes / The Associated Press files)

“I’m grateful to be making my return to the NHL with the Winnipeg Jets,” Toews said in a press release. “It’s very special to come home and play in front of my family and friends in Manitoba. The Jets have been on the rise over the last few seasons and I’m eager to join the group and help however I can.”

Toews, 37, is one of the most decorated athletes the province has produced and he’s hungry for more.

He’s won three Stanley Cups with the Chicago Blackhawks (2010, 2013 and 2015), two Olympic gold medals (2010 and 2014), a World Cup of Hockey gold medal (2016), a pair of World Junior Hockey Championship titles (2006 and 2007) and a gold medal at the 2007 IIHF men’s World Hockey Championship.

His hardware includes a Conn Smythe trophy in 2010, being named best forward at the 2010 Olympics and a Selke Trophy as the NHL’s top defensive forward in 2012-13.

Not only is Toews a proven winner, he’s a productive player and excellent leader, having been named captain of the Blackhawks before he turned 21.

Including the regular season and playoffs, Toews has appeared in more than 1,200 NHL games and he’s eclipsed 20 goals in 12 of his 15 seasons — hitting the 30-goal plateau three times, including in 2018-19, when he had 35 goals and 81 points in 82 games.

His reputation for coming through in the clutch is well-earned, as he delivered 45 goals and 119 points in 137 playoff games to go along with 69 game-winning goals during the regular season.

Although there is no playbook for the respiratory issues that plagued Toews in dealing with long COVID and Chronic Immune Response Syndrome (CIRS), he recently declared himself healthy and ready to return to action.

Given his competitive nature and the high standard that he holds himself to, Toews wouldn’t be making a comeback if he didn’t feel like he could be a contributor.

It’s natural that Toews, a highly motivated individual, would want to go out on his own terms and that wasn’t the case regarding his departure from the Blackhawks.

There was plenty of interest around the NHL to land Toews — including the Tampa Bay Lightning — before he ultimately decided playing in his hometown offered a great opportunity in terms of role and fit on a contender.

As much as Toews enjoys winning, his hatred for losing is something that has driven him since he was a teenager.

Chicago Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews shows off the Stanley Cup to fans of all ages at the Dakota Community Centre in Winnipeg in 2015. (Ruth Bonneville / Free Press files)

He would love to win at least one more Stanley Cup before he retires and the expectation is that Toews wants to play at least two more seasons.

As for where he fits on the current Jets roster, Toews is someone who will bolster the centre-ice position and provide some insulation for top centre Mark Scheifele.

Once Adam Lowry returns from a hip injury that required off-season surgery, the Jets will have a one-two-three punch that rivals the best teams in the NHL.

“We are excited to add a proven winner like Jonathan Toews to the Winnipeg Jets,” said Jets general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff in a press release. “It will be a unique opportunity for Jonathan to play for his hometown team. His talent, drive, and experience will be a great complement to our club. We will withhold further comment until July 1.”

Toews hasn’t played in a game since April 2023 and he hasn’t suited up in a playoff tilt since the bubble playoffs in Edmonton in 2020.

In the qualification round series with the Oilers, Toews was the best player on the ice while matching up against Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl as the Blackhawks authored an upset, ousting Edmonton in four games in the best-of-five affair.

Although the Vegas Golden Knights dispatched the Blackhawks in the next round, Toews finished those playoffs with five goals and nine points in nine games.

Unfortunately, that was the last time Toews was fully healthy and he sat out the entire 2020-21 season.

He appeared in 71 games the following season and 53 in 2022-23, working his way through his health issues.

Toews spoke openly about how his healing journey took him to India for a five-week detox in an article in GQ magazine.

With those issues under control, Toews has been dedicating himself to getting ready for a return.

Charles Krupa / The Associated Press files Jonathan Toews won three Stanley Cups with the Chicago Blackhawks.

While the situations are different, there’s no doubt Toews will draw inspiration from the slow and painful return made this season by Colorado Avalanche captain Gabe Landeskog, who made his way back to the NHL in the opening round of the 2025 Stanley Cup playoffs after a three-year hiatus that included multiple knee surgeries.

The Jets have an interesting off-season ahead and bringing Toews into the fold should provide a boost to the middle-six forward group that will require further strengthening if Nikolaj Ehlers leaves as an unrestricted free agent.

Toews, who has been training in Arizona, brings with him a cachet that should help attract additional talent to a Jets team that captured the Presidents’ Trophy last season and made it past the first round of the playoffs for the first time since 2021.

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Even if it takes a bit of time for Toews to shake off some of the rust, the left-handed pivot should immediately become the Jets’ best faceoff option, as his career percentage in the dot is 57.3 per cent (with a career-best of 63.1 per cent during the 2022-23 campaign).

Toews is a responsible, two-way player and adding his championship pedigree to a group that took an important step forward this season is a smart bet for an organization looking for its first title.

As for Toews, having the chance to rewrite the final chapters of his career and chase another ring with the Jets is something that makes this move mutually beneficial.

ken.wiebe@freepress.mb.ca

X and Bluesky: @WiebesWorld

Ken Wiebe Reporter

Ken Wiebe is a sports reporter for the Free Press, with an emphasis on the Winnipeg Jets. He has covered hockey and provided analysis in this market since 2000 for the Winnipeg Sun, The Athletic, Sportsnet.ca and TSN. Ken was a summer intern at the Free Press in 1999 and returned to the Free Press in a full-time capacity in September of 2023. Read more about Ken.

Every piece of reporting Ken produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print — part of the Free Press‘s tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press’s history and mandate, and learn how our newsroom operates.