jonathan toews said he’s not a fan of the Chicago Blackhawks’ ongoing rebuild.
“At the end of the day, we’re talking about a more than five-year process, according to (general manager) Kyle [Davidson]”, the captain of the Blackhawks told Atletico on Tuesday. “So I don’t find that part attractive at all.”
Davidson said on July 14 that he had spoken with Toews and his former teammate. patrick kane on the direction of the team and would continue to do so, but that he didn’t know if the veteran forwards were buying into the rebuilding plan. The Blackhawks traded young forwards Alex De Brincat Y kirby dach on July 7, the first day of the 2022 NHL Draft, and Brandon Hagel before the 2022 NHL trade deadline in March.
“I can’t speak for ‘Kaner,’ but I definitely feel like the amount of turnover our team has gone through every year for the last three or four years, that’s where it gets really exhausting. And exhausting,” Toews said. . “You have a guy like Alex DeBrincat who was under Kaner’s wing. And I like to think that Kirby and I also had that bond in some way. And they go out, they go out the door. Time and time again, we’ve seen that change.” . I am learning to be more patient, but there is no doubt that the timeline is quite daunting and quite tiring to think about. So I’m not going to sit here and say what I’m going to do or what the future holds. to me, because I really don’t know.
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The Blackhawks traded DeBrincat to the Ottawa Senators for a first- and second-round pick (No. 7, Kevin Korchinski; No. 39, Paul Ludwinski) in the 2022 draft and a third-round pick in the 2022 NHL Draft. 2024. Dach was traded to the Montreal Canadiens for picks No. 13 (Frank Nazar) and No. 66 (Gavin Hayes) in the 2022 draft. Hagel was traded to the Tampa Bay Lightning on March 18 for forwards. Boris Kachouk Y taylor radishand a first-round pick in the 2023 NHL Draft and 2024 draft who are protected in the top 10.
DeBrincat, often a linemate of Kane’s, scored 78 points in 82 games last season, leading Chicago with 41 goals to tie his NHL career high he set in 2018-19. Selected in the second round (No. 39) by the Blackhawks in the 2016 NHL Draft, the 24-year-old has 307 points (160 goals, 147 assists) in 368 regular season games and six points (two goals, four assists) in nine Stanley Cup Playoff games.
Dach had 26 points (nine goals, 17 assists) in 70 games last season. The 21-year-old, who was Chicago’s third pick in the 2019 NHL Draft, had 59 points (19 goals, 40 assists) in 152 regular-season games and six points (one goal, five assists) in nine . playoff games
Davidson said he didn’t talk to Toews and Kane before Chicago made the trades.
Toews, 34, and Kane, 33, each enter the final season of an eight-year deal signed July 9, 2014. Toews, Chicago’s third pick in the 2006 NHL Draft, has 852 points (357 goals, 495 assists) in 1,014 regular season games and 119 points (45 goals, 74 assists) in 137 playoff games. Kane, selected by the Blackhawks No. 1 in the 2007 NHL Draft, has 1,180 points (430 goals, 750 assists) in 1,107 regular-season games and 132 points (52 goals, 80 assists) in 136 playoff games. They each won the Stanley Cup with the Blackhawks in 2010, 2013 and 2015, and have played their entire NHL careers with Chicago.
Toews has been Chicago’s captain since 2008.
Davidson took over as general manager on October 26 after Stan Bowman stepped down as president of hockey operations and general manager.
On October 20, 2020, the Blackhawks posted an open letter on social media saying they were committed to developing younger players and rebuilding the roster. Chicago (28-42-12) finished seventh in the Central Division last season, 29 points behind the Nashville Predators for the second wild card in the Western Conference playoffs.
The Blackhawks have missed the playoffs in four of the last five seasons.
“When we traded ‘Hags,’ and then ‘Cat,’ and Kirby, the reality really set in, OK, this is where we are, and they really have to focus on the future,” Toews said. “And it’s unfortunate that it’s come to that. But it is what it is. A lot of it has been out of my control for quite some time, and it’s a strange place to be as captain.”