Homecoming: Jonathan Toews joining Jets in NHL return

Three-time Stanley Cup winner Jonathan Toews is returning to the NHL and joining his hometown Winnipeg Jets, the team announced Friday.

The former Chicago Blackhawks captain has been out of the league since February 2023 due to the lingering effects of long COVID and chronic immune response syndrome.

"The kid from St. Vital is coming home," the Jets posted on X, referencing the neighborhood in Winnipeg where the decorated forward grew up.

The Jets did not release any details of the deal, which cannot become official until the start of free agency on July 1. TSN reported that it would be a one-year deal.

Toews, 37, led Chicago to three Stanley Cup titles (2009-10, 2012-13, 2014-15) over a six-year span. He won the Conn Smythe Trophy as the MVP of the 2009-10 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

The Manitoba native also competed on Team Canada in gold-medal winning efforts in the 2010 and 2014 Olympics.

Toews has 372 goals and 511 assists in 1,067 games. The No. 3 overall pick in the 2006 draft was selected as one of the NHL's top 100 players from its first 100 seasons.

He won the Selke Trophy in 2012-13 as the NHL's best defensive forward and the Mark Messier Leadership Award in 2014-15.

--Field Level Media