Jonathan Toews of Winnipeg Jets signs with many question marks and potential complications – Hockey Writer – Winnipeg Jets

But the facts on the ground are complicated. Don’t plan the 2026 Cup Parade on Portage Avenue.

This is not the same era as Toews at his peak and led the Chicago Blackhawks to the Cup in 2010, 2012 and 2015. When he was 37 in April, most players (regardless of how good they were) were declining or retiring.

The truth is that Toews hasn’t played hockey in the last two years, due to chronic inflammatory response syndrome and long-term excitability. He fits for the last time on April 13, 2023 and then misses all 2023-24 and this season.

Expectations should be tempered. It’s a huge question about whether a person who failed for such a long time is effective against a high-octane team like the Jets.

Toews’ alternative detox will increase uncertainty

Toews traveled to India late last year to conduct a five-week Panchakarma “detox” at the Ayurvedic health retreat, which included many enemas causing diarrhea and inducing vomiting (he outlined the process in detail on social media). He did this to eliminate the “toxins” in his body and heal the immune system problems he had dealt with. “He (he) felt so relaxed and rejuvenated,” he said on Instagram, but he lost over 20 pounds.

Some alternatives are considered pseudoscience because some supplements include toxic metals. “Ayurvedas have not yet been fully studied from the US perspective. Ayurvedic drugs are regulated in dietary supplements in the US and they are not regulated by drugs. This means they do not need to meet the safety standards of the drug,” Johns Hopkins Medicine noted that some of these Ayurvedic drugs may have toxic materials. These may be toxic.

One must hope that Toews can recover their strength since he loses weight and leave these types of treatments behind, instead favoring the medical staff who listen to the jet.

The jet cannot afford another Wheeler situation; toews must be used properly

The Jets have had a huge role before – most notably, Blake Wheeler in the team’s final two seasons – they are responsibility, not assets. They can’t do this again during the Cup window, so head coach Scott Arniel must be in the fourth line center and potentially deploying Toews properly in the second Powerpin unit.

But if Toews can’t keep up, his presence will hinder a potential client who can provide more upside – Nikita Chibrikov, Parker Ford and Brad Lambert are all knocking on the door for a full-time NHL job, and general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff will create a problem for himself while bringing him some hope for young people.

Toews’ basic salary is cheap, but profitable bonus structure has attracted attention

The best part about Toews’ deal is that, according to Elliotte Friedman, it has a base salary of $2 million. According to the game played, Toews will receive a $2 million bonus, a structure that protects the team from a huge amount of money fork in case the disease does not allow him to compete. In this way, when Wheeler ordered one-tenth of the salary cap at the same time, Wheeler would not struggle while struggling.

However, the bonus could be significantly increased – if Toews compete in 60 regular season games and the Jets make the playoffs, $2 million would be $5.25 million, and there is no metric based on performance or points. Given the structure, Toews should have short belts and if he does not perform well, he must stop in the news box.

Related: Jets 2025 Unrestricted Free Player Overview

It’s nice to see Toews obviously healthy enough to resume action. The best case racing was that he raised the race with 25 to 30 points, earning at least 55% of the face-off and providing some much-needed playoff experience and production.

But the best scenario is far from guaranteed. A story that feels good can easily turn into a story about wasting time, wasting energy and wasting money.