Chicago Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews was petrified to see his lifelong sidekick Patrick Kane sent to the New York Rangers, but he wishes him all the best with his new team.
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Kane hit the road to the Big Apple on Feb. 28 and will try to add a fourth Stanley Cup ring to his collection this spring. The deal came as a shock to Toews, although changes were expected in Chicago. The veteran did not parade to express his moods on Tuesday after participating in his first training in more than two months.
“Personally, I would probably say I was in shock,” he said in comments posted to NHL.com. The possibility had been hovering over our heads for a long time, but I told myself that it wasn’t going to happen. You can’t imagine this guy with any other sweater. I heard he flew home from San Jose to wait until a trade was finalized. Except that it was materializing. It could have been an extra day or later. Then I saw it was for real.”
A sweater that suits him
Despite his dismay, Toews made a confession about the recent developments. “Suddenly you see him in a Rangers jersey. To be honest with you, it does him well. I hate to say this. I’m only happy that he can reconnect with the happiness of evolving with very good players and finding a guy like “Breadman” [Artemi Panarin, ancien des Hawks], he admitted. “Kaner” is quite a competitor who will feel good if he plays meaningful games in the playoffs and finds himself on the biggest stage in hockey.”
Nevertheless, the last few weeks have not been easy for the Hawks, excluded from the playoff race for a long time.
“It was difficult to see these changes occur within our formation. There are guys who have been in this locker room for years, especially a certain “Kaner”, whom I have known all my career. I’m coming back here and it’s a whole lot different,” Toews said.