It was a return that no one saw coming. After missing three of the past five seasons due to complications from long COVID, Jonathan Toews signed with his hometown Winnipeg Jets to embark on a return story that everyone is rooting for. Toews dressed for the first time since 2023 in the Jets' preseason game on Wednesday night.

The preseason can feature some quiet buildings as fans anticipate the start of the regular season. Still, the roof nearly blew off the Canada Life Centre as the arena announcer introduced Toews into the starting lineup. The regular season atmosphere was a good way for Toews to get back into the swing of playing in the NHL.

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It will take Toews some time to get back up to speed, but the Jets threw him directly into the fire by playing him on the first line with Cole Perfetti and Gustav Nyquist. While he didn't look like the player who captained the Chicago Blackhawks to three Stanley Cups through the 2010s, Toews still showed glimpses of why the Jets feel he can be a factor this season.

“I felt like I made some plays and, as the game went on, just relaxed a little bit,” Toews told reporters after the game. “I think the conditioning is going to come, the jump's going to come, and the timing is going to be there too. So you just gotta keep working at it, keep settling in your game and trusting that I'm out there with some really good players.”

Toews will play a significant role down the middle as the Jets expect Adam Lowry to miss the first portion of the season while recovering from an injury. Jonathan Toews will likely slot into the second-line center role for the interim and then take on more of a checking role when Lowry returns.