The Chicago Blackhawks announced Tuesday morning that center and captain Jonathan Toews is out indefinitely due to a medical issue.
Earlier today, Darren Dreger of TSN and Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic reported Jonathan Toews will not be at the Blackhawks’ training camp and will miss the start of the 2021 NHL season due to illness. The Chicago Blackhawks made the news official later in the morning. In the release, the organization says the captain will be out indefinitely due to a medical condition. In his statement in the release, Toews said he has been feeling drained and lethargic due to his symptoms and does not have a timetable for his return.
Captain Jonathan Toews will not join the team for training camp while dealing with medical issue; no timetable set for return.#Blackhawks https://t.co/6YutfvyisX
— Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) December 29, 2020
General Manager Stan Bowman provided the following statement in the release:
“Jonathan’s health is our top priority as he deals with this medical issue. The Chicago Blackhawks organization and our medical staff will provide all necessary resources to help him return to playing hockey. While he will not report to training camp on January 3 and will be out indefinitely, we will continue to support him as he is an important part of our family. I’ve been in regular communication with Jonathan recently and will continue that as he takes care of his health.
The health and privacy of all our players is paramount to the Chicago Blackhawks organization. We care about Jonathan, and we know how badly he wants to be with his teammates competing on the ice. We will provide further updates on his status as circumstances change and do not have a timetable for his return.”
It is the latest bad news for the Chicago Blackhawks. Just a few days ago, Kirby Dach underwent surgery to repair a wrist fracture he suffered during an exhibition game at the World Junior Championships. The 2019 third overall pick will be out for four to five months. Last week, the team announced Alex Nylander had surgery to repair a torn meniscus suffered during the 2020 Stanley Cup Playoffs and will be out for four to six months.
The Blackhawks still have not signed restricted free agent center Dylan Strome, leaving major holes down the middle of the ice for the team. Toews had 60 points in 70 regular season games in 2019–20 and had nine points in nine postseason games.