When former Chicago Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews began to make rumblings about a potential comeback to the National Hockey League after undergoing an unorthodox “healing” treatment, my first instinct was to be very skeptical.

Toews was last seen on NHL ince during the 2022-23 season and at the time he looked like a shell of his former self. During that season he would record 15 goals and 16 assists for a total of 31 points in 53 games and finished that season with a plus minus rating of -31. It seemed like it would be quite the leap for Toews to return for the 2025-26 NHL regular season, especially when you consider that he would be 37 years old at the start of that season.

Toews however has not let the doubters deter him from his goal and he has resumed skating on the ice in preparation for offseason workouts with some of his former peers, offseason workouts he will use to gauge how realistic his desire to make a comeback truly is. One thing is certain though, Toews seems like he wants to rewrite the final chapter of his NHL career.

“I’m not satisfied the way things ended in Chicago,” said Toews as per Blackhawks insider Mark Lazerus. “It’s not about proving anything. It’s just that there’s something left in the tank and I want to explore that. I want to go have fun, have a blast, play with passion. But at the same time, I still have some high-level hockey left. I want to be able to step away from the game having said that I’ve given it my all. And I still think there’s something left to give.”

I’m still very skeptical of what Toews could possibly have left in the tank, especially after such a long time away from playing the sport of hockey at the highest level, but there’s no denying the fact that it would make for a great story if Toews was indeed able to mount a genuine comeback and play in the NHL next season.