Winnipeg Jets’ Jonathan Toews (19) defends against the San Jose Sharks during first-period NHL action in Winnipeg, Thursday, April 16, 2026. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/John Woods)
Jonathan Toews is being recognized on the national stage for one of the most compelling comeback stories in recent NHL history.
The Winnipeg Jets and the NHL announced Monday the 38-year-old forward is among three finalists for the 2025-26 Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy, awarded annually to the player who best exemplifies perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to hockey.
Toews was nominated by the Winnipeg chapter of the Professional Hockey Writers’ Association (PHWA) after returning to the NHL this season following a multi-year absence due to serious health issues, including Long COVID and Chronic Inflammatory Response Syndrome, that had sidelined him since 2020. He stepped away from the game at the end of the 2022-23 season.
This season, Toews appeared in all 82 regular season games for his hometown Jets, recording 29 points (11G, 18A) while posting a faceoff percentage of 62.1 per cent — among the league’s best. It marked his 16th consecutive double-digit goal season.
The Winnipeg native and three-time Stanley Cup champion with the Chicago Blackhawks has played 1,149 career NHL games, tallying 921 points (383G, 529A). His trophy case already includes the 2010 Conn Smythe Trophy, the 2012-13 Frank J. Selke Trophy, and the 2014-15 Mark Messier NHL Leadership Award.
Buffalo’s Rasmus Dahlin and Colorado’s Gabriel Landeskog are the two other finalists for the honour, which will be awarded in June.
