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Toews Named Captain And #3 Will Be Retired |
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Just released by the Blackhawks Media Department.
JULY 18, 2008
BLACKHAWKS NAME TOEWS 34th CAPTAIN IN TEAM HISTORY
The Chicago Blackhawks announced today that center Jonathan Toews will serve as the team’s captain during the 2008-09 regular season, making him the third-youngest player to earn that distinction in the history of the National Hockey League.
Toews (20 years, 79 days) joins Pittsburgh Penguins center Sidney Crosby and Tampa Bay Lightning center Vincent Lecavalier as the one of the youngest players in professional hockey to captain his club. Crosby assumed his role at 19 years and 297 days, while Lecavalier took on the captaincy for the Lightning at 19 years and 330 days.
“Jonathan deserves this honor, he is a tremendous individual and a wonderful leader on and off the ice,” General Manager Dale Tallon said. “He has experience in captaining teams from his World Junior appearances and guys follow his lead in our locker room.”
Chicago’s first choice (3rd overall) in the 2006 NHL Entry Draft, Toews led league rookies with 24 goals and seven power-play markers while ranking third with 54 points during his professional debut last season. The Winnipeg, Manitoba native ranked third on the Blackhawks with 30 assists and tied for third with his 54 points while appearing in 64 of the squad’s 80 matchups. He began his Blackhawks and professional career with a point in each of his first 10 games (5 goals, 5 assists), which is the second-longest streak to start a career in NHL history. Overall, he posted a point in 39 of his 64 contests.
Toews, who has captured Gold Medals for Team Canada in the 2007 and 2008 World Junior Champions, registered 40 goals and 85 points in 76 games with the University of North Dakota prior to turning pro. He joins current Blackhawks Head Coach Denis Savard (1988-89) as one of 34 players to wear the “C” for the organization.
BLACKHAWKS TO RETIRE NO. 3 IN HONOR OF MAGNUSON AND PILOTE
The Chicago Blackhawks announced today the organization will retire jersey No. 3 in honor of defensemen Keith Magnuson and Pierre Pilote during the a 2008-09 regular season home game to be announced at a later date.
"In keeping consistent with honoring our past greats, the Blackhawks are proud to announce that we will be retiring the number three for two wonderful gentlemen," Blackhawks President John McDonough said. "The number three hanging in their honor will be a continuing memory to our fans and players on what it means to be a distinguished member of the Blackhawks family."
Magnuson spent 11 seasons in a Blackhawks uniform (1969-80), racking up 1,442 penalty minutes and 139 points (14 goals, 125 assists) in 589 career games, which includes captaining the squad for three years (1976-79). The Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, native helped Chicago reach the postseason eight times, collecting 164 penalty minutes and 12 points (3 goals, 9 assists) in 68 career playoff outings.
Following his playing career, Magnuson served as Chicago’s head coach during the 1980-81 campaign before helping organize and serving as president of the Blackhawks Alumni Association. He passed away tragically in an automobile accident on Dec. 15, 2003, at the age of 56.
A member of the Hockey Hall of Fame, Pilote ranks second among defensemen in franchise history with 400 assists and fourth with 477 points in 821 contests spanning 13 seasons in a Blackhawks sweater (1955-68). The Kenogami, Quebec, native is one of four players in the history of the NHL to capture three straight James Norris Memorial Trophies as the league’s outstanding all-round defenseman, a feat he accomplished in 1963, 1964 and 1965. A First-Team All-Star five times during his career (1963, 1964, 1965, 1966 and 1967), Pilote captained the Blackhawks to the 1961 Stanley Cup and held that position until the end of the 1967-68 campaign.
Magnuson and Pilote will join Glenn Hall (1), Bobby Hull (9), Denis Savard (18), Stan Mikita (21) and Tony Esposito (35) and as the only players to have their jersey numbers retired in the 82-year history of the franchise.
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