Yes, it is only preseason. With that said, a feel good story occurred last night that captivated the entirety of the hockey world. Blackhawks legend Jonathan Toews appeared in his first unofficial game back in 2 seasons, as a member of the Winnipeg Jets.
There was expected to be rust for Toews having been away from the game for as long of a stretch as he was. But, Toews performed well in the game as he displayed flashes of his old self and showed he can still perform in this league. The Jets ran Toews on the first line centering Cole Perfetti and Gustav Nyqvist. The Jets also gave a nice gesture to Toews as he donned the A in his return game.
Jonathan Toews spoke to the media after the game reflecting on his experience of his first game playing in front of his hometown Winnipeg crowd as a part of the team.
What did Toews have to say?
Toews was quoted in an interview after the game, stating his "excitement" to be back out there playing on the ice. This is a moment Toews and the Jets faithful have been greatly anticipating for a long time since the signing was announced this summer.
Many people would not have expected Toews to reach this point, considering the length of time his hiatus away from the NHL transpired. Of course it is not the real thing yet, being a preseason game and all, but Jonathan is another step closer to making his official Winnipeg Jets regular season debut. That will be a must watch game for hockey enthusiasts everywhere to tune in as Toews looks to complete the comeback.