Jonathan Toews shares raw emotions on making NHL return with Jets, healing trip to India, & hardest moment of life

Jonathan Toews has made his return to NHL this season with Winnipeg Jets after a two-year break due to health issues. The 37-year-old center, who captained Chicago Blackhawks from 2008 to 2023, signed a one-year, $2 million contract with the Jets in July.

In November 2024, Toews shared details of his healing journey on Instagram. A key part of his recovery was a five-week trip to India for an Ayurvedic detox called Panchakarma. Ayurveda, which means “Knowledge of Life,” is an ancient system that sees the body as a delicate ecosystem influenced by food, thoughts and emotions. Reflecting on his experience, Jonathan Toews said,

“Not only did it teach me better diet choices specific to my body type, it has deepened my intuitive relationship with myself and the world around me.”

Speaking with NHL insider Elliotte Friedman on Saturday, Toews once again talked about how challenging his journey back to hockey has been.

“It's been a long journey to get back to this point," Toews said, via Sportsnet. "You know, you got to really remind yourself why you're doing this, because it's easy to get discouraged. "At least there were moments for me where I got discouraged and that self doubt kind of crept in, and having to get to a place of truly understanding myself and being a little bit wiser because of it.”

Playing for the Jets, the team he followed as a child, felt like a dream realized. Talking about his trip to India, Jonathan Toews said the lessons were not just about physical healing.

“We're always looking for some sort of secret formula that exists outside of us that can fix any sort of ailment or sensation or feeling that we might have within, whereas their mindset over there, it starts in here, and everything outside starts to reflect your inner environment," Toews said. [3:50 onwards] "And I definitely really started to take responsibility for everything that was happening in my life.”

Jonathan Toews also shared the hardest moment of his life came after his last game with Chicago.

“I think, after my last game in Chicago… it takes some time away from hockey and just missing on that breakaway,” Toews said, reflecting on how difficult it was to step away from the game he loved.

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Jonathan Toews opens up about recovery and ayurvedic healing

In September, Jonathan Toews had also spoken about his use of alternative medicine as part of his recovery. He explained that Ayurvedic detox he underwent in India was aimed at treating inflammation and long COVID symptoms.

"They give you certain medicines, which pull the toxins out of your tissue and your body… then you have other medicines that essentially help you purge it out,” he said, adding that the process was not easy but necessary for healing.

So far in the 2025-26 season, Jonathan Toews has played four games. He has one assist, no goals, and a -1 plus/minus, averaging about 17 minutes on ice per game. His only point came on October 13 against the New York Islanders.

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Edited by nagpaltusharn25