Throw in all the face-of-the-franchise stuff, and Toews is a no-brainer.
During the 2013 season, the Blackhawks outscored opponents 44-16 at 5-on-5 with Toews on the ice.
But he was an all-world player - a point-a-game guy as recently as three years ago, and an indefatigable two-way force. Was he ever at Sidney Crosby’s or Connor McDavid’s level? No. Somewhere, lost amid all the eye-rolling that goes on when you talk about Toews’ intangibles and the gnashing of teeth that goes on when you talk about his decline in recent seasons, we all seem to have lost sight of just how freaking good Toews was at the height of his powers. Regardless of what happens a year from now (the guess here is he sticks around and sets all the franchise scoring records), Kane’s 88 is iconic. Mikita and Hull each had two Hart trophies to Kane’s one, but Kane can throw in a Conn Smythe and two more Stanley Cups than his predecessors. Setting aside the theory (one I very much subscribe to) that the worst players in the league in 2022 would absolutely dominate the league to a frightening degree if they were instantly transported to the 1960s, nobody in franchise history can match Kane’s skills, his showmanship or his resume. That’s not a slight on Stan Mikita or Bobby Hull - or even his contemporaries during the Stanley Cup years. Kane is the greatest player in Blackhawks history. With that in mind, let’s break down the power rankings for future jersey retirements, from the locks to the long shots. Eyeballing it, there’s room for 10 more without bumping into the team banners for the Blackhawks and Bulls.
On the north side of the United Center, there are just seven numbers hanging from the rafters - Glenn Hall (1), Pierre Pilote (3), Keith Magnuson (3), Bobby Hull (9), Denis Savard (18), Stan Mikita (21) and Tony Esposito (35) - awkwardly spaced because there’s so much room. But now, a crowded United Center ceiling is looking a lot more plausible. For years, I assumed Patrick Kane, Jonathan Toews and Duncan Keith would have their jerseys retired, and there’d be an additional banner commemorating “The Core,” the seven three-time champions. Regardless, it’s hard to look at Hossa’s honor and not think the door suddenly has been opened for future jersey retirements - both to honor the modern-era stars and to right some wrongs from the past. The Blackhawks are going to be bad for a while, and jersey-retirement ceremonies sell tickets.The new regime, led by team CEO Danny Wirtz and president of business operations Jaime Faulkner, simply has a different mindset about retiring jerseys than John McDonough did.Perhaps a Stanley Cup (or three) in Chicago and a plaque in Toronto is simply the bar to clear. Hossa was inducted into the Hall of Fame last year.
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