It appears that the Toronto Maple Leafs and Jonathan Toews may have some mutual interest ahead of free agency.
Nick Alberga of The Leafs Nation reports that the Leafs are among several teams that have reached out about potentially signing Toews.
Toews has indicated that he’s intent on resuming his career for the 2025-26 season and it was previously reported that ‘everything is open’ regarding the 37-year-old forward. He is currently listed as Daily Faceoff’s eighth-ranked pending free agent.
Although it’s unclear where Toews will eventually land, the veteran centre has been linked to the Maple Leafs, Winnipeg Jets and Colorado Avalanche among other prospective suitors. Toews last played during the 2022-23 season, recording 15 goals and 31 points for the Chicago Blackhawks, during a season where the club began accelerating its rebuild.
It’s unclear what value Toews will be able to provide at this stage of his career, several years removed from a full NHL season. At his peak, Toews was one of the defining two-way forwards of his generation, winning three Stanley Cups with the Blackhawks. Toews also captured the Conn Smythe Trophy in 2010 and the Selke Trophy in 2013. It appears highly unlikely that Toews would return to the Blackhawks for the 2025-26 season.
Toronto is looking to revamp its forward corps ahead of the 2025-26 season. Maple Leafs general manager Brad Treliving spoke about a need for change in his team’s DNA at his end-of-year media availability on May 29. Toews would constitute a veteran presence in the room with championship pedigree, although he’ll likely slot in as a third-line centre in the best-case scenario.
It’s also worth mentioning that Patrick Kane, Toews’ long-time running mate with the Blackhawks and is a pending unrestricted free agent. Although Kane is removed from the peak of his career, he recorded 21 goals and 59 points in 72 games with the Detroit Red Wings, and will have plenty of suitors as a top-six winger.
