Penguins Have Rare Opportunity to Sign Future Hall-Of-Famer

By all indications, it looks like former Chicago Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews is set to make a return to the National Hockey League after a 2-year absence.

He hasn't played since April of 2023 and had missed long periods before that while dealing with the effects of long-COVID. He was also diagnosed with CIRS (Chronic Inflammatory Response Syndrome) in 2021.

But he's informed his agent Pat Brisson that he fully intends to return to the NHL for next season. What are the odds that the Pittsburgh Penguins, who have his former Team Canada teammate Sidney Crosby on their roster, could show interest?

Toews would not only provide another valuable leadership voice in the room for the Penguins, but a short-term deal could potentially provide high rewards if he were to discover his old scoring touch.

As Toews said recently, he's feeling completely rejuvenated and much more like his old self compared to when he last played in Chicago 2 years ago.

Toews captained the Blackhawks to a trio of Stanley Cup wins in 2010, 2013 and 2015, and also earned the Conn Smythe Trophy as the most valuable player in the postseason.

A 6x NHL All-Star, Toews has also represented Canada internationally and won a pair of gold medals in the 2010 and 2014 Winter Olympics while playing alongside Crosby.

A short-term contract likely wouldn't cost much, as NHL clubs are likely going to be reluctant to hand out a rich deal for a player who hasn't hit the ice in over 2 years.