The most impressive thing about Hawks captain Jonathan Toews right now isn’t his NHL-leading point total, his leadership in the playoffs or they way he’s taken over games.
It’s his ability not to get caught up in it.
Toews was cornered again by the media Thursday after practice. The recorders and the cameras were in his face again.
He answered questions about his confidence level, his place in Hawks history and his demeanor on the ice.
Every response was about the team.
“We’ve been lucky enough to get some bounces, see a lot of pucks go in,” Toews said. “It’s nice to be a part of some of those plays that result in goals. I think that’s the biggest thing that gives you confidence, when you see pucks go in like that.
“Whether you’re tipping them in or you’re making plays, it doesn’t really matter. I think as a line, we just want to keep working hard. We know we don’t take that success for granted. We got to go out there and do the same things, do the right things, in order to have that success. We’ll keep doing that and keep moving forward.”
You can almost reach out touch Toews’ focus. It’s there. It’s an actual thing, an object. It resonates in the Hawks dressing room.
Toews is focused on getting better each game and so is his team — he says so everyday. He’s focused on winning every single game — and he’s shown that in the playoffs.
“We got a lot of talent in here,” Toews said of his place in Hawks history. “No one gets to include themselves in a group like that until you win something. Like I say, that’s what we’re working on here. That’s the most important thing.
“People remember certain individuals, but they certainly remember the teams that are special and that win championships. That would be the coolest thing to be part of.”
Spoken like a real leader.
