CHICAGO — Jonathan Toews had an apt description of the Chicago Blackhawks rebuild during a recent interview with The Athletic.
“Really, really draining,” he said. “And exhausting.”
Truer words couldn’t be spoken, and the rebuild has only just begun. They don’t call him Captain Serious for nothing. Imagine how Toews will feel by the end of March, when the only goal remaining will be securing the top pick in the 2023 draft.
It’s hard to fathom how long it might take for the Hawks to get back to contending status, but Toews is unlikely to be around when — or if — it happens.
“At the end of the day, we’re talking about a five-plus-year process, according to (general manager Kyle Davidson),” he said. “So that part of it doesn’t sound appealing to me at all.”
Nevertheless, Toews is still a Blackhawk, and with a full no-movement clause he can decide whether to leave or stay if Davidson decides to shop him. Ditto for Patrick Kane, who like Toews will enter the final year of an eight-year deal.
The difference is that Kane has much higher trade value than his friend and teammate and theoretically would have more options. Toews said he “can’t speak for Kaner,” who reportedly is undecided about whether to give the Hawks the go-ahead to find a team he’s comfortable playing for and execute a deal. Kane has yet to publicly comment on his desires.
Having suffered more black eyes than Mike Tyson’s old sparring partners, the Hawks might be reluctant to part with Kane or Toews, the only real drawing cards remaining. The Hawks already have suffered immense backlash from the short-sighted decision to let analyst Eddie Olczyk leave following a contract ploy that blew up in their face.
And because Toews regressed a bit last season following a year off for what was termed chronic immune response syndrome, it might not be worthwhile to deal him until he shows he can rebound.
If the Hawks trade only Kane this offseason, Toews would be asked to be the lone face of the organization after the two shared those responsibilities their entire careers. Like Chicago Cubs catcher Willson Contreras, Toews would be part of one of those “long goodbye” seasons that are never easy for players or fans to go through.
While the Hawks brass processed Toews’ remarks Wednesday, the team introduced its newest starting goaltender, Petr Mrázek, to the Chicago media.
The Hawks acquired the Toronto Maple Leafs backup on the first night of the draft in exchange for moving up 13 spots for their second pick. The Leafs were trying to dump Mrázek and his $3.8 million cap hit for the next two years while the Hawks were willing to take on the affordable contract. They allowed 289 goals last season, seventh-worst in the league in spite of Marc-André Fleury’s strong finish before being dealt to the Minnesota Wild at the deadline.
Mrázek, 30, who battled injuries and missed several weeks with a groin injury at the end of the season, said he feels good after taking some time off and changing his offseason workout routine. He’s perhaps the perfect acquisition for a team tanking for the future, the polar opposite of last year’s prized offseason acquisition — Fleury.
As the goalie of a young team with no expectations, Mrázek will have no pressure to succeed, which should be helpful in what he hopes will be a rebound season.
“I don’t think there is something to prove,” Mrázek said. “I’ve been in the league for a long time and I know how to prepare for the season, how to prepare for the games. Injuries happen in a hockey career to everyone, and last year especially was a year I wasn’t able to stay healthy.”
Mrázek will get an opportunity to play a lot, assuming he can stay healthy. His backup will be 34-year-old Alex Stalock, who played one game last season for the San Jose Sharks after missing the 2021-22 season with myocarditis following a positive COVID-19 test. With a mostly inexperienced defense playing in front of Mrázek and Stalock, they’re assured to be tested on a nightly basis.
But those are worries for another day.
Until training camp begins and Kane and Toews are officially wearing sweaters with the Indian head logo, their uncertain futures will be a topic on the minds of every Hawks fan. Toews told The Athletic “you can’t blame” management for tanking, even as he admitted it was exhausting to see teammates Alex DeBrincat and Kirby Dach dealt, speeding up the process.
But in reality the only one to blame is Hawks management, which failed to keep the organization from bottoming out the last couple of years while while the Tampa Bay Lightning continued to churn out contenders — and two Stanley Cup championships — after the Hawks beat them in the 2015 Cup Final.
Stan Bowman is gone and will not be accepting any of your blame for whatever happens next. Davidson is still in his honeymoon phase after having his interim GM title removed, while new coach Luke Richardson has the unenviable task of steering the rebuild in Year One of the alleged five-plus-year trek.
It’s all uphill now for the Hawks.
Tune in at your own risk.
