A Chicago Blackhawks legend was back in the building for the Winnipeg Jets’ trip to the United Center. Jonathan Toews, captain of three Stanley Cup runs with the Hawks, played in Chicago for the second time this season.
He got a lengthy ovation the first time around, one that matched Patrick Kane’s first time back to the United Center. It was all business for the second return — no celebratory skates on Tuesday night.
“I think it might start getting on some of the guys’ nerves in here, today it’s all hockey,” Toews said pregame. “(First time here) was a super special moment, (I) had no expectation whatsoever and (they) blew it out of the water.”
Toews’s last visit saw him skate against some veterans, including 2006 draft classmate Nick Foligno. On Tuesday, most of the Hawks were a decade younger than the franchise idol.
They’re as talented as they are young. Anton Frondell scored his first NHL goal to continue his career-opening heater, and the rest of the Hawks showed flashes of potential.
One thing these Hawks don’t have just yet is that winning gene. That’s how Toews put up three of the Hawks’ six Stanley Cup banners, and how the Jets left United Center with a win.
The Hawks fell to Winnipeg 4-3 in their first home game in nine days. Jets left winger Kyle Connor scored 33 seconds into overtime, handing the Hawks their fourth straight loss.
“I’m not losing sleep over it, but certainly it’s something that if you look at our one-goal losses this year, not including empty-netters, including overtime, it’s a whole swing,” Hawks coach Jeff Blashill said. “We’re going to have to find ways to win in overtime but some of that’s reps and going through the pain of losing. Failure can be a great thing if you learn from it.”
Frondell, the Hawks’ 2025 No. 3 draft pick, opened scoring after collecting the rebound off an Ilya Mikheyev shot. He’s fit right into the NHL, scoring five points (one goal, four assists) in as many games.
“The game is a whole new level from what I’m used to playing back in Sweden, everything goes so fast, everyone is a lot better,” Frondell said. “I still have a lot to learn, (I’ll) just keep going and get better.”
It was his first time in the United Center since being called up to the Hawks. The fans roared when his first goal was announced, so there’s obvious excitement for the rookie.
“Back on the road trip when we played in Madison Square Garden and different arenas, I thought, ‘Oh s−−−, this is pretty good,’” Frondell said. “But they said, ‘Wait until you get back at home.’ I know what they mean by that now, it’s a pretty good crowd here.”
It was a familiar tale of an above-average first period being followed by an abysmal second set of 20 minutes. The Jets had 29 shot attempts (15 shots on goal) compared to the Hawks’ four (two shots on goal).
Tyler Bertuzzi’s flashy spin-around goal at 13:26 was the saving grace for the team in the second. It was his 30th goal of the season, which tied his career high. Still, it was their second and final shot of the period.
“Part of it is the pushback from them, we walked into the room and we had outchanced them and if you’re them, you’re not going to be happy with that,” Blashill said. “Part of it was we didn’t win any faceoffs, so it just seemed like they had the puck a lot and we didn’t break out clean.”
Bertuzzi then scored his career-high 31st goal halfway through the third period off an assist from Mikheyev. The second line of Mikheyev-Frondell-Bertuzzi was on the ice for all three Hawks goals.
“I’m going to keep going to the net, keep doing the same things,” Bertuzzi said. “My body’s been feeling good, it’s been keeping me in games and being able to compete at the hardest I can and at the highest level I can.”
He willed his team back into the game with two goals to tie the game up at three. He made sure to credit his ice mates for the setup.
“It’s (Mikheyev) both times, on the forecheck, he created the turnover, I just got the puck,” Bertuzzi said. “I thought as a whole group we played a really good game, except for maybe the second, we just got to build off that and learn from it.”
Selflessness is part of the reason the player nicknamed “Bert” was awarded the ‘A’ after the trade deadline. That’s just how he is, which Blashill sees as leadership in itself.
“You know what Bert’s done? Bert’s been Bert, he hasn’t changed one ounce,” Blashill said. “They’ve (Bertuzzi and Connor Bedard) just been themselves and the best way to lead is just who you are.
“When you show it by example and you live it, other guys will follow and I think he’s done an excellent job of that. So for me, Bert’s just been Bert and because of that, he’s been a good leader for us.”
Sacha Boisvert was a healthy scratch on Tuesday. Blashill said pregame that it will help the 2024 No. 18 draft pick to observe some games as the season nears an end.
“He’s not going to play every single game, but he’ll play a good number of them,” Blashill said. “We give him a chance to get a feel for it, then you get a chance to watch it. Those are all good learning experiences; I don’t like sitting guys out for long.”