When Marian Hossa retired in 2017, the Chicago Blackhawks had difficulty compensating for his absence on the ice. Hossa was a versatile forward who excelled in various situations, contributing significantly to the team’s performance with his ability to forecheck, regain puck possession, and score crucial goals—like the 26 he netted in his final season. The Blackhawks now find themselves in a similar predicament trying to fill the gap left by Jonathan Toews.
Jonathan Toews, the former captain, played 1,067 games for Chicago before the team opted not to renew his contract after the 2022-23 NHL season. Although Toews has not formally retired, he hasn’t taken the ice since then. Last season, the Blackhawks refrained from naming a captain out of respect for Toews, who held that role for over ten years. Currently, Nick Foligno assumes the captaincy, while Connor Bedard emerges as the next star center for the franchise.
Despite being absent from the Blackhawks for 96 games, Toews’ presence is still keenly felt, particularly in the face-off circle. In his last season with the team, Toews participated in 53 games but still led the Blackhawks in face-off wins by a significant margin, securing 594 wins compared to Max Domi’s 445, Jason Dickinson’s 368, and Sam Lafferty’s 219. The previous year, Toews won 799 face-offs in 71 games, maintaining a face-off percentage of 59 percent. In the 2019-20 season, he achieved a 57.3 percent rate, winning 856 face-offs.
Throughout his career, Toews consistently maintained a face-off percentage above 50 percent, averaging 57.3 percent overall. Last year, with Toews out, the Blackhawks depended heavily on Jason Dickinson, who ended the season with a 50 percent win rate from 618 face-off attempts. This current season, Dickinson continues to lead the team with 97 face-off wins while serving on the third line. The Blackhawks rank 27th in the league for face-off win percentage at 46.4, and they sit last in the defensive zone with a dismal 40.7 percent.
The Blackhawks would greatly benefit from having a center like Jonathan Toews, not only for games but also for the development of Connor Bedard through practice. A lot of discussions revolve around how Bedard could have gained from playing with Patrick Kane, and the same could be said for Toews.
In Bedard’s first two seasons, he has a face-off percentage of 37.2, which has worsened this year. In 14 games, he has won just 39 out of 91 face-offs, translating to a mere 30 percent efficiency in the dot. While face-off performance doesn’t singularly dictate game outcomes, the Blackhawks often find themselves chasing the puck in the opening seconds of a shift instead of establishing possession.
Recently, Patrick Kane made his second return to Chicago donning an opposing team’s jersey, which remains a surreal sight. However, the absence of Jonathan Toews continues to cast a shadow over the team.
