Jonathan Toews FINAL press conference with Blackhawks

How are we guys? Everything is still very fresh, but what were the emotions at that time? Yes, I'm im

press

ed. Yeah, I mean, I really felt like it was almost unworthy of a moment like that and you know, I was just telling it. Sharpie in the hallway I hope the guys like him and the dunks and the seeds and Cainer and stay on the list if they were lucky enough to see the game tonight and could feel that love from the fans and, you know, I think It's just great. For example, I told the guys in the room after the game that it just goes to show that obviously it's more than a game when you get to be a part of some special years where you win Stanley Cups and give a lot.

Special feelings for the fans, but obviously it's a two-way street. You know, we gave our heart and soul and reported everything we had to this team, this organization, this game for many years and to reap rewards like that, you can't. Word it better, so I just hope that those guys have shared a locker room for many years and feel that too and we can share that with me tonight and you know, I guess in my mind it is like that. It's hard, it's hard to accept that sometimes life changes, but at the same time it's exciting.

I'm very excited to see where this team goes in the future and it will be fun to watch, I mean, always be a Blackhawk. for the rest of my life and um, yeah, I mean, I think you grow up, you know, dreaming of being an NHL hockey player and you idolize your heroes and you live for those big moments and, like I said, when things like that happen , you realize that it's more than a game and it makes everything worth it, so it's pretty special, correct me if I'm wrong, but you haven't made a decision yet about your future as a player.

I don't officially have the Blackhawks, what's it like to have the Blackhawks then? tell you like no, you know we're not going to offer you a contract for next season before you had a chance to make that call yourself um yeah, I think in my heart before I had the conversation with Kyle I knew that for myself Personally, Whatever happens this summer, it's time, and you know, when Kyle called me into the room and we were traveling last week and I told him right away, I was caught off guard because I didn't know what he wanted to talk about, but uh. once I took a deep breath and let it sink in, you know, I realized it is what it is and uh, there's absolutely no hard feelings.

I have nothing but love and gratitude for the Blackhawks and Rocky Warts in the Blackhawks family, everything to everyone. over the years I had been a part of that, you can't like it, I said, you can't ask for more than that and at the end of the day it's a business, it's a business where you want to win games and you want to go out and entertain to the fans and, you know, the Chase Stanley Cups and I think it's exciting for me at the same time, not knowing what's really around the corner for me personally, but at the same time, like I said, it's a new beginning for the Blackhawks and as I mentioned a second ago, I think for me that night tonight closes the chapter not only for me but for guys like Cainer who couldn't be here to enjoy that and feel that. thank you for the love of the fans and, you know, going down the list, the dunk siebs, welding host Sharpie Crow, Hammer, I can mention so many names, guys that were unsung heroes in so many ways that were part of those special groups that , uh, I won championships and I hope everyone can feel that gratitude too, so I think, like I said, it's the end of those times and you know, new beginnings are just around the corner, so it'll be exciting to see how It was a walk.

Aren't you glad your teammates pushed you to do it? Yeah, it's hard, I guess in my mind it's always, um, it's almost, it's kind of strange, it's almost hard to accept that love and that uh. that praise, so I do my best to absorb it and, you know, the guys would tell me I should do one more lap. I think there were already too many, so, yeah, it was great, it was overwhelming. I didn't expect that and I didn't really know what to expect tonight, but I tried to focus on the game that says I always do and go out and create some offense and try to win the game for us and unfortunately.

We felt a little short but it was still a very special moment for all of us. Did you want that one in extra time? I was hoping you'd ask me about that. It was turned off. I mean, it was still perfect. That's how it was. It's been nice to see it work and finish my last game that way, but I'm not looking back. Now I don't regret it, it was perfect, did it remind you of Keynes, the one from Las Vegas? a beauty of an overtime deposit that was recovered, yeah, yeah, maybe he should have taken a hit off the lob or someone might have had a better chance, but yeah, well, since he had that conversation with the general manager, you notice there's one back here if you can.

Don't play it if he decides you can't play if your body won't handle it again. What's next on the horizon for you. What options do you have? I have no idea. Many thoughts appear in your head. I think you know. Hockey is giving me so much and I think it's such a beautiful way to experience life to learn about yourself and learn what it feels like to be part of a team and overcome challenges and all those things that, you know, I look back on. . These last two years, I would say they were probably the most challenging for me personally, but I would say I learned the most about myself, probably more in these last few years and I have my entire career, so, you know, I think I will always be. involved in the game in one way or another, I have no idea if I'll be involved with the Blackhawks in the future, but at the same time, if I'm not playing hockey this time next year, I think it's exciting for you to think about it. . all the parts of life that you have put on the back burner.

I mean, I'm not getting any younger and there are a lot of things you have to sacrifice over the years in order to reap the benefits of being successful at this. level, so it will be nice for me to spend time with family and friends too and be able to put other people first from time to time, that's just a small thing, but it's true. I think when you play hockey, everyone's attention is on you and you're putting yourself first and you have to be selfish in a lot of ways and it'll be good to let your guard down and see where life takes you a little bit.

I'm on the path, but just knowing yourself, do you think the personality is more suited to banking or the front office? I have no idea again. I love, love the game of hockey. We'll see. I think it's impossible to answer that question, but I hope at some point. future, when the time is right to give back to the game and in the best way I know how and and uh and I think that's something that sometimes gets lost and sometimes it's difficult, especially with the way the game has changed and just the review of the type of older young players being pushed out of the league and the young guys coming in and sometimes it's hard to maintain that culture and keep the good things that you learn from the older players when you're a young player and I.

I think conveying that and kind of shaping it, whether you play or not, I think is a very important thing, so we'll see congratulations on a great career and I think I can speak for everyone, thank you for all your cooperation. and professionalism here um since you had the conversation with Kyle, did you reach out to Patrick and I'm wondering what his reaction was? um yeah, I came and I just texted so far, okay, the time, the time. It's true, we will have a good conversation, maybe we will meet this summer, but yes, for now he has a job to do, he has a new challenge in front of him with a new team and you know, I think at the beginning of our career.

There was always healthy competition, maybe sometimes not so healthy, but I think we are both at that point in our lives, we are happy for each other's success and I wish him all the best and I don't want to sit here and admit that I'm going to be a Rangers fan, but I will always be a Patrick Kane fan. I hope to see him do well in the postseason this year and, you know, he's one of those guys that you know the day in Dale. He is a competitor and a true professional and you know I like any opportunity to mention the impact that he has had on the game and I don't know if he gets the credit that he deserves and how he has influenced the young people. players in the game today, so I guess what I'm talking about is what a special player he is and what a great teammate he was, right?

It says a lot about what he's accomplished in this game, so yeah, I'm looking. I'm looking forward to seeing him have more success and do what he does best down the stretch right here, again, that's a tough question, but I mean, The first thing that comes to mind is you know, I think just learning to relax into the things that I can't control and realizing that sometimes life happens and things change and different things come up and you just have to roll with the punches. and, you know, I think deep down it's more about that than it is about winning Stanley Cups or scoring. goals and doing those kinds of things, I think it's just learning to deal with life with a little more grace, a little more gently and relaxing and yeah, there's probably a lot of other things I can't think about right now, but John, What do you want your legacy to be as the Chicago Blackhawk?

I mean, I guess most players or at least I should say and I mean, I'm lying if I say it doesn't matter, but at the same time it doesn't. something you can really worry about and I think you know what I love about hockey is that it's a team game and sometimes you feel like you're taking a risk and taking the opportunity to sacrifice a little bit of yourself or your teammates because your first selfish instinct is you want to be noticed, you want to be recognized for those sacrifices and I think ultimately over the years I've had so many great teammates around me and great leaders that have been able to help me. to keep me in line and remind me what matters and, you know, hopefully, it's being a team-first guy and going out there and doing whatever it takes to win games and also, I guess I'm known for being pretty emotional. and warming up on the bench over the years.

I know he probably wasn't the easiest teammate to play with for my teammates and some scenarios, but I hope I remember that guy who is, you know, going out there trying to win games and help out. team him and make the guys around him better, so again, I can mention a lot of names of guys that I learned that from and try to emulate and grow along with them. Can you propose a day, a goal, a moment that stands out above? everything I don't know I don't know if there's a moment on ice I think there are so many really um and I think that shows how spoiled we were over the years and I'll say it when I know When I asked that question, my answer tends to be the things that stand out or I think just when people come up to me from the ice there might be something in public and you meet people and you're almost embarrassed and people thank you for the moments. that you created in the moments that people in Chicago will remember and you know when that happens, you feel a little embarrassed at first, but then it's also a reminder that you know that you are like I said a minute ago, it's more than a game um, It's when I was young and throughout my career you keep finding that inspiration and you go out and do the best you can and you hope to inspire someone else to do the same and find the best within themselves as well, so I think when you hear that really There's no better compliment and I just hope the fans know that that feeling has been reciprocated in more ways than you can imagine, so, yeah, I'm definitely grateful for that last time as captain before you leave.

I think so, if you remember correctly something like um, you know, I just hope that moment for them shows them that all the sacrifices for your team are worth it and you know that you have to go out and be a part of a team that only wins one Stanley. The Cup only wins one playoff game. I mean, you feel like you can win 15 more. I mean, it's a high moment like no other and it's a reminder, like I said, that everything in life is worth the sacrifice and things. You are saving a little and when you experience that with your teammates there is nothing better, we have such an end to your career in the Halls, maybe you are leaning a little towards retirement or, if not, are you giving yourself up? a timeline for making that decision I mean, first of all, there's no timeline right now, but there's no doubt that a moment like that is hard to get through and, yeah, I think it's something that I'm just going to let myself sink into. in my family and, you know, the thought of playing for another team right now is very much in the back of my mind, especially after that moment, you know, I always thought I would retire at Blackhawk and a part of me still believes at that, so We'll see that you carried the burden of being the captain here for so long and so well.

What does Captain Ben mean to you? The franchise is the longest story of all. I mean, I don't know, I think if I look back at the last 15 or 16 years, I mean, it's all, it's all a blur, it's happened so fast and you're always dealing with it. henext challenge and, you know, I think every year, if someone asked me what it means to be a captain or a leader, I feel like my definition of that is always changing and evolving, and you're always learning something. new, you're always in a new position, in a new situation and ultimately, I think it's what you know, trying to do all the little things you can to help the team and hopefully lead by example every step of the way. of the road, yes. maybe we don't see every day there's just something that you're going to miss that maybe we don't see every day so you know we expect to come to a certain part of the day or to certain people that you saw Or you just know that here in this and in the organization again It is difficult to sing one thing or another.

I think you'll miss it all. You know, it was even cool to see Gapper get recognized the way he did. the way it was tonight and I really meant what I said, I think those guys that are behind the scenes I consider my family, they've been dealing with me and in ways that I want to talk about for many years and and uh, just taking care of the guys and doing whatever it takes and not asking for anything in return and um, so I think that family atmosphere with the coaches and being part of a team with a group of guys that you really care about.

I'm talking about the guys I talked to who have been a part of these teams who are now retired and away from the game. I think that's one of the biggest things they missed too, just coming to the rink and being a part of that team and that. group, so that's something you can't really replace. You get to talk to the version of yourself that first walked into the locker room in 2007. What would you say to yourself? Oh, you know, it's difficult. I think everything happens the way it is. You're supposed to, so it's hard to look back and really want to change something, but if there's one thing, it's always trying to appreciate every moment and not pushing away the difficult ones and, you know, just being present in everything, I think that's kind.

It's a tough thing to deal with, especially when you're going to the playoffs. If I think about some of those playoff runs, there's not really a moment to stop and smell the roses. You always win a game. You know, just getting ready for the next one and just putting everything aside and focusing on your job, so it's a hard thing to do and I think I'm in a position now where I can look back and enjoy it. That's the way it is, you're a different person than that gang, so yeah, I mean, definitely, yeah, he sure becomes a person that you get to know every year, everything you go through and I think that's the great thing about hockey. .

Thank you so much.