Sonny: “Hey, Sid. I had an attack of paranoia. I thought you were sleeping with my girl.”
Sid: “I am.”
Sonny: “What’s that?”
Sid: “I am.”
Vanessa: “Sonny, that’s what I was trying to tell you before. I found someone.”
Sonny: “This old guy? Sid.”
Vanessa: “He’s already achieved so much, and yet he’s still goal-oriented and still focused. And he has a five-year plan.”
Sonny: “What is it? ‘Don’t die!?'”
That’s all I could think of last night after I saw Jonathan Toews’ comments in an exclusive interview with Mark Lazerus of The Athletic, in which Toews told Lazerus that Kyle Davidson’s rebuild plan is a five-year plan, and Toews made it clear he wasn’t on board with it.
Seriously, just imagine Jonathan Toews as Sonny, Kyle Davidson as Sid, and look at Vanessa as Davidson’s new vision for the Blackhawks. You’re welcome.
- So, if you haven’t seen it yet, Jonathan Toews revealed to Laz in their exclusive sit-down that Kyle Davidson told him the rebuild is going to be a “five-plus-year process,” and one that Toews isn’t ready to be a part of.
- Neither of those bits of information are earth-shattering. We assumed that Toews wouldn’t be on board with a long-term rebuild based on his comments to the media down the stretch last season. We’ve also heard Kyle Davidson repeatedly say that this rebuild will be comprehensive and not be rushed, so five years seems exactly right for an early time frame. It also lines up with the dependency that the success of the rebuild will have on the 2022 and 2023 draft classes.
- Toews’ most recent comments simply confirm our beliefs and set up a running farewell tour for The Captain. The only question now is when and how Toews departs.
- Toews will have to waive his no-movement clause for the Blackhawks to trade him, something he’s well aware of and admitted he couldn’t say he wouldn’t be interested in exploring a new situation if the right one arises this season.
“If I don’t play good hockey, what value do I have anyway?” he said with a wry grin. “But I’m not going to say that if I’m playing some of the best hockey in my career and a great fit and a great opportunity arises that I might not just go see what that looks like, and see what that feels like. Just for the fun of it.”
- Still, even if a desirable situation arose for Toews on the trade market during the season, it would involve some mathematical maneuvering. It’s doubtful any team takes on his entire cap hit, so the Blackhawks would have to eat half of it and maybe even take a bad contract back. It’s not impossible. It’s also not a sure thing.
- There’s always the chance that nothing transpires on the trade market for Toews this season for one reason or another, in which case this season would almost surely be a farewell tour for the Blackhawks captain, who will become a UFA at the end of the season, giving him the opportunity to choose where he wants to finish his career.
- One way or another, we’re entering the final season of Jonathan Toews in a Blackhawks sweater. You can check out Laz and Toews conversation here.
- The Blackhawks will introduce new goaltender Petr Mrazek this afternoon in a Zoom press conference I’ll attend. Mrazek was acquired from the Toronto Maple Leafs in a draft night trade that brought the No. 25 pick (which turned into Sam Rinzel) to town. You can read more about the Mrazek trade from Tab below, and I’ll have the Mrazek presser covered later today.
- ICYMI: Drew Commesso and Arvid Söderblom made appearances on Scott Wheeler’s Top Goaltending Prospects List on Tuesday.
- Now is probably a good time to become a college hockey fan if you’re a Blackhawks fan. Tab lays out where the Blackhawks prospects are playing college hockey this season for your viewing convenience.
- The San Jose Sharks made the hiring of David Quinn official Tuesday.
- Charlie Roumeliotis discusses the NBA-like offseason for the NHL, the difference in returns in the Alex DeBrincat and Matthew Tkachuk trades, and takeaways from a Dylan Strome interview on the latest Blackhawks Talk Podcast.
- Not great, Bob! (If you’re not following BN Bears, now is the time to start with Bears Training Camp underway this week)
- If you believe anything LaVar Ball has to say:
- That’s it for today!