As the NHL gears up to resume its regular season, the Winnipeg Jets find themselves 11 points shy of the final wild-card spot. It looks like they might miss the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time in four years.
Despite the odds, veteran forward Jonathan Toews, who signed a one-year deal last summer to chase a Stanley Cup with his hometown team, is standing firm. The 37-year-old has no plans to waive his no-movement clause before the March 6 NHL trade deadline to join a contender.
Toews made it clear, “I wouldn’t consider going anywhere. I want to keep playing for this team.”
He even challenged the notion that the Jets are out of the playoff race. “I don’t even know that we’re not a playoff team,” he remarked, pointing out that the team played better than the results showed during their 11-game winless streak from mid-December to early January.
“There were so many situations where all of the little things that could go wrong did … We’re going to find a way to make them go right.”
When it comes to his future with the Jets beyond this season, the three-time Stanley Cup champion is all about the here and now. “I’m not thinking about that at all,” Toews said.
“I’m obviously thankful for the opportunity that the Jets organization and coaching staff have given me to be able to play in the NHL again. It was an adjustment period this year, but I want to keep playing for this team.”
Toews is earning $2 million this season, with contract bonuses that could elevate his cap hit to $7 million. After spending 15 years with the Chicago Blackhawks, Toews missed the 2023-24 and 2024-25 seasons due to long-COVID. Now, he’s proving valuable in a depth role for the Jets, notching seven goals and 19 points in 52 games while averaging 15:07 of ice time per game.
The Jets are set to continue their season Wednesday night in Vancouver against the Canucks, and Toews remains a key piece in their efforts to turn things around.