Jonathan Toews At 500 Points
On Monday night, Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews reached a major milestone in his NHL career. With his 500th point, Toews adds another mark to his incredible career.
Toews was, thankfully, the third overall pick in the 2006 NHL Draft. St. Louis passed on Toews, opting instead to take defenseman Erik Johnson first overall. Pittsburgh followed by taking Jordan Staal second, and the rest is history in Chicago.
From that 2006 class, Toews becomes the third player to reach 500 career points: Washington center Nicklas Backstrom has 566 points, and Toronto’s Phil Kessel (selected by Boston) has 513 in his career. Philadelphia’s Claude Giroux, the 22nd player taken that year, ranks fourth with 444 career points.
Toews finished runner-up to Patrick Kane for the Calder Trophy 2007-08, but was named to the NHL All-Rookie First Team. In 2010, Toews won the Conn Smythe Trophy as the most valuable player in the postseason, and he was voted the winner of the Selke Trophy in 2013. He has been a finalist for the Selke after two other seasons as well.
There may be two players with more points in their career, but none is more accomplished than Toews. He has been selected to three All-Star Games (2009, 2011, 2015) and played in both the 2010 and 2014 Winter Olympics. He led Canada to gold medals in both Olympic tournaments.
Toews is also one of the more clutch players of this generation.
Only two players have scored more game-winning goals in the Indian head than Toews (40): Steve Larmer (49) and Denis Savard (46). Chicago’s captain has scored 81 points in 91 career postseason games, and his 10 career postseason game-winning goals is the benchmark in franchise history.
Even though he doesn’t turn 27 until April 29, we can say with certainty that no Blackhawks player will every wear number 19 again. When St. Louis and Pittsburgh passed on Toews, they opened the door for the resurrection of the Blackhawks to begin.
Such a pleasure to watch 19 play. He is a model of what you want from a Captain and team leader. I wear my #19 jersey with pride…
It’s already clear that he is once in a generation or longer caliber player. How fortunate Chicago is that STL and PIT didn’t recognize the whole package that Dale Tallon saw. Although both Johnson and Staal are good players, do you think that those two clubs would love to turn the clock back, knowing what they know now, and replay those selections?
We need his leadership and drive through the remainder of the season; I think he needs to take the team on his back to an even greater degree than he has in the past. And it won’t surprise me when he does.
When he hangs up the skates, yes, no doubt #19 will be raised into the rafters and it will be a long time until we see another like him.
Big one in Philly tomorrow…need two points desperately with the rest of division taking care of THEIR business tonight. WC home ice is in sight if…
…GO HAWKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!