ST. LOUIS — Jonathan Toews was understandably humbled in January 2017 when, during All-Star weekend in Los Angeles, he was named — along with Blackhawks teammates Patrick Kane and Duncan Keith — to the NHL’s Top 100 list as part of the league’s centennial celebration.
“For us to be already midway through our careers and be thrown in the same pit as Tony [Esposito] and Bobby Hull and Stan [Mikita] and Denis [Savard], it’s crazy,” Toews said then. “I don’t think even if I was still playing somewhat close to 10 years from now that I would still really believe that I would be mentioned at that level.”
The timing for Toews was interesting, to put it kindly. Then in his 10th season, he had all of nine goals (and 18 assists) at the break en route to a career-low output of 21 goals.
It would get even worse for Toews last season, when he dipped to career lows of 20 goals and 52 points and converted on a sickly, almost unthinkable 9.5 percent of his shots. This, as the Hawks crumbled and — you might’ve heard — missed the playoffs for the first time in 10 years.
“It was pretty tough,” Toews said. “There’s no question about it.”
Yet here came Toews into the third meeting of the young season against the Blues on Saturday already with six goals and five assists through the Hawks’ first 10 games. A small sample size, sure, but he was on pace for — just saying — a career-best scoring season.
No doubt, Toews’ early surge has been overshadowed by that of Kane, who scored twice more against the Blues to up his goal total to an NHL-leading 11. Kane also assisted on Artem Anisimov’s score.
But Toews has been demonstrating his trademark well-roundedness, and not by depending on the wily tricks of a 12-year vet. He has had improved jump on the ice from the get-go, feeling strong and fast after an offseason toiling with Hawks strength and conditioning coach Paul Goodman.
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“I feel really good, really explosive, and my conditioning is better,” Toews said. “It allows you to just go out there and play your game and do the things that, mentally, you want to do. Sometimes, if you don’t have the energy or the strength or the speed, the options just aren’t there. But I definitely feel a little bit more able to get in and out of tough spots with the puck this year.”
Twenty-year-old linemate Alex DeBrincat said Toews’ speed has at times been difficult to keep up with. But it also has drawn back defenses, opening up swaths of ice for open shots by DeBrincat, who himself is flourishing as a scorer.
“He leads the line,” DeBrincat said. “He leads the team. Obviously, he’s one of the best players in the world.”
Toews isn’t shying from the compliment, nor does he disagree with the notion that he might be on his way to the finest statistical output of his career. About that small sample size? He thinks it just might be telling in regard to what’s to come.
“I guess it’s been a trend in my career that I’ve never really had great Octobers or Novembers,” he said. “But this does feel a little different so far. Yeah, I think I could [have my best season], but I’m not going to worry about the next 70 games right now. If I stay focused game in, game out, I’m pretty sure the production is going to be there.”