Blackhawks won't re-sign Jonathan Toews

It's the end of an era in the Windy City.

After a "difficult conversation," the Chicago Blackhawks decided against re-signing longtime captain and pending unrestricted free agent Jonathan Toews in the summer, general manager Kyle Davidson announced Thursday.

Thursday's clash against the Philadelphia Flyers at the United Center will mark Toews' final contest wearing a Blackhawks sweater.

"He's done it all, and he's done it all in a Blackhawks jersey," Davidson told reporters shortly after making the announcement, per NBC Sports Chicago. "We can't thank him enough for everything he's done.

"The Blackhawks organization - and I think the city of Chicago - will be forever indebted to him for the amazing ride that he took us on. ... He'll be a Blackhawk forever."

Davidson added that he expects Toews to play somewhere else next season, according to The Athletic's Mark Lazerus.

Toews told Lazerus on April 6 that he had "no idea" if he'd continue his playing career beyond this campaign.

The 34-year-old has struggled with his health in recent years. Toews missed the entirety of the 2020-21 season while dealing with chronic immune response syndrome and was sidelined once again by those symptoms - in conjunction with long COVID - for two months this campaign.

"It just got to the point where I couldn't move on the ice and didn't even want to put on my skates or roll out of bed to come to the rink," he said in March. "So it was pretty rough."

With one game remaining in his Blackhawks tenure, Toews ranks sixth all time in goals (371) and points (882) for the franchise, as well as fifth in games played (1,066).

Toews captured three Stanley Cup championships with the Blackhawks and logged 119 points in 137 playoff games. He won the Conn Smythe Trophy in 2010 after leading Chicago with 29 points in 22 contests.

The Blackhawks also moved Patrick Kane to the New York Rangers prior to the trade deadline. Davidson said Thursday that he didn't offer Kane a contract, either, and that he thought it'd be best for Chicago to "clear the deck," per Lazerus.

"I don't know if resting on the past or on sentimentality does us any good for the future," the executive said.

Kane said he hopes Blackhawks fans give his former teammate a proper send-off.

"He's a legend, man. I mean, he turned that franchise around," Kane said, according to NHL.com's Dan Rosen. "He was like a brother. It was amazing to come up with him at the same time. Obviously, he was a lot more mature than I was coming into the league and ahead of his years, too."

Toews is playing out the final season of an eight-year, $84-million pact. He has 14 goals and 16 helpers in 52 games this campaign.

Puck drops on Chicago's final matchup of the season at 8:30 p.m. ET.