Toews, Kane ready for 'strange moment' as opponents

Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews played a lot of hockey together as cornerstones for the Chicago Blackhawks.

The forwards were roommates on the road and partners in helping rebuild the Blackhawks, who won the Stanley Cup in 2010, 2013 and 2015.

So, it'll probably feel a little strange when Kane and the Detroit Red Wings (23-14-3) host Toews and the Winnipeg Jets (15-18-4) at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit on Wednesday (6:30 p.m. ET; FDSNDET, SNP, SNW, SNO). The two have played against each other in international competition, including the 2010 Vancouver and 2014 Sochi Olympics (Kane for the United States; Toews for Canada), but this will be the first time in an NHL game.

"I mean, I think it's always strange when you have those moments when you're reminded of how different things are," Toews said. "For a long time, it was almost like this dream scenario that you couldn't draw up any better. Obviously, we were so blessed in so many ways.

"But yeah, it'll be a strange moment to kind of snap out of that and realize, 'Oh yeah, we're playing for different teams now. We're going up against each other.' That being said, we're both very competitive, so it'll be a lot of fun."

Toews returned to hockey this season after a two-year hiatus due to health issues, signing a one-year, $2 million contract with his hometown Jets on July 1. He missed the entire 2020-21 season due to Chronic Inflammatory Response Syndrome and nearly two months of the 2022-23 season while dealing with the effects of long COVID-19. The 37-year-old has 893 points (375 goals, 518 assists) in 1,104 games with the Blackhawks and Jets, including 10 points (three goals, seven assists) in 37 games with Winnipeg this season.

Kane, who missed six straight games with an upper-body injury before returning for Detroit in its 3-2 overtime win against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Sunday, has 1,366 points (498 goals, 868 assists) in 1,327 games with the Blackhawks, New York Rangers and Red Wings. The 37-year-old, who is two goals from 500 in his career, has 23 points (six goals, 17 assists) in 25 games this season.

"Yeah, it wasn't just us, but we were the face of it, right? It was really fun to build it up with and it was great to play with Jonny too," Kane said of their time together in Chicago. "We obviously roomed together right off the bat, kind of got to bounce some things off each other, especially when we started and always had that competition too. Not where we wanted to really one-up each other, but I think we really pushed each other to reach his potential."

It's going to seem strange to their former Blackhawks teammates as well.

"'Weird' is the word that comes to my mind," said former forward Patrick Sharp, who played with Toews and Kane in Chicago from 2007-15 and 2017-18. "Hopefully they get a picture at center ice, one wearing a Jets uniform and one wearing a Red Wings uniform and we'll come to terms with it then.

"It reminds me of the greatness that they had in Chicago when I'll see them out there against each other."

Toews was the No. 3 pick by the Blackhawks at the 2006 NHL Draft, and Kane went No. 1 the following year. Each made his Chicago debut in 2007-08 and were there until 2022-23, when Kane was acquired by the Rangers before the Trade Deadline, and Toews wasn't re-signed at the end of that season.

Prior to that, there were a lot of winning seasons and a lot of great memories built up over the years. In addition to the championships, each also ranks in the top six in goals and points in Blackhawks history, and each was named one of the 100 Greatest NHL Players during the League's Centennial celebration in 2017.

"Hopefully when they play against each other, they don't do what they used to do (in Chicago), which is pass to each other and set each other up," said former forward Bryan Bickell, who was Toews' and Kane's teammate in Chicago from 2007-16. "It should be pretty fun. Obviously with Kane where he has been and where he's still going and then with Toews' return, it's super special to see him come back and, let's say, go out the way he wants to.

"I'm sure he has more years ahead of him, but to get back into the swing of things and going to his hometown of Winnipeg is super cool for him."

Toews and Kane spent a good part of their careers helping rebuild the Blackhawks. But their paths will converge again in a very different setting on Wednesday.

"It was such a blessing for me to come up with a guy like 'Kaner,' a guy with his talent and his drive and his dedication to the game because in so many ways it took the pressure off me. I think we complimented each other in a lot of ways," Toews said.

"It's fun, moments like this where you look back and say, 'Wow.' It's crazy how rare it is to have that success, how difficult it really is, too, in this league because you're always focused on the present and where you are right now. And that's what you have to do to keep thriving in this league, too."