Chicago Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews said on Tuesday he will not report to training camp next month ahead of the NHL season and will be out indefinitely due to a medical issue.
The 32-year-old Canadian, a three-times Stanley Cup winner and two-times Olympic gold medallist, said in a statement he has been experiencing symptoms that have left him feeling “drained and lethargic”.
“I am working with doctors so I can better understand my condition,” said Toews. “Until I can get my health back to a place where I feel I can perform at an elite level and help my team, I will not be joining the Blackhawks for training camp.
“I do not have a timetable for when I will rejoin the team. I am extremely disappointed, but it wouldn’t be fair to myself or my team mates to attempt to play in my current condition.”
Toews, who was selected by Chicago with the third overall pick in the 2006 National Hockey League Draft, had 60 points in 70 games last season.
“To Blackhawks fans, I will continue to do whatever I can to get back on the ice and return to play the game I love for the team I love,” said Toews.
“I will not be making any further comment at this time and ask everyone to please respect my privacy as I focus on my health and recovery.”
Toews is considered a complete package given his offensive skills, impeccable defensive game and leadership abilities that have established him as one of the NHL’s most respected players.
He was the centrepiece of Blackhawks teams that won the Stanley Cup in 2010, 2013 and 2015.
“Jonathan’s health is our top priority as he deals with this medical issue,” said Blackhawks general manager Stan Bowman.
“The Chicago Blackhawks organization and our medical staff will provide all necessary resources to help him return to playing hockey.”
The Blackhawks are scheduled to begin the regular season on Jan. 13 at the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Former Rangers forward Callahan announces retirement
Ryan Callahan announced his retirement from the NHL yesterday morning.
The former Tampa Bay Lightning and New York Rangers forward was diagnosed with a degenerative back disease last year. He spent last season on long-term injured reserve with the Senators, who acquired him from Tampa Bay in July 2019 with the Lightning’s fifth-round pick in the 2020 NHL Draft for Mike Condon and Ottawa’s sixth-round selection.
Callahan, 35, did not play for the Senators.
“Let’s make it official. I did not play last year due to a back injury, but I am officially announcing my retirement from the NHL,” Callahan wrote Wednesday on Twitter. “Reflecting on my career, it’s hard to wrap my head around how lucky and grateful I am for being able to live out my childhood dream for 13 amazing years.”
Callahan went on to thank the Rangers and Lightning in his lengthy Twitter post.
A New York native, he eclipsed the 20-goal mark four times in his NHL career that began with the Rangers in the 2006-07 season. After seven-plus seasons there, he went to the Lightning in 2014 in a trade that sent Hockey Hall of Famer Martin St. Louis to New York.
“You gave us everything you had, every shift, every night,” the Rangers wrote in a tweet. “We thank you and salute you (Callahan) for an incredibly inspiring career.”
Callahan recorded 386 points (186 goals, 200 assists) in 757 career NHL games. He also represented Team USA at the 2010 and 2014 Winter Olympics, helping the Americans to a silver medal in Vancouver in 2010.
“I can honestly say I left it all on the ice and have zero regrets,” Callahan wrote. “Thanks to the game of hockey for all the unforgettable memories and lifelong friends I have made along the way! This is bye to the game I love for now, but I’m sure our paths will cross again in the near future.”