Toews' final lap and more: 5 Blackhawks storylines to watch as the season winds down

When a team misses the playoffs by almost 40 standings points, it normally limps to the finish line with nary a story line in sight.

Not so for the Chicago Blackhawks, who were beaten 4-2 by Minnesota at the United Center on Monday in their third-to-last game of the season.

In the Hawks' case, there is drama everywhere ...

End of an era:

How do you say goodbye to a legend?

That has to be what the Hawks are wrestling with behind the scenes as Jonathan Toews' career in Chicago most likely ends Thursday against Philadelphia at the UC.

Toews, no doubt, will be wrestling with plenty of emotions as well.

He's the last man standing from the team's most successful era. So there will be no goodbyes to friends like Patrick Kane, Duncan Keith, Brent Seabrook, Corey Crawford, Patrick Sharp or Marian Hossa.

Still, there will be plenty of tough goodbyes to behind-the-scenes employees - ones like equipment manager Troy Parchman, head athletic trainer Mike Gapski, strength and conditioning coach Paul Goodman and even parking attendant Frankie Tomaselli. How does Toews say thank you for everything they did to help make his life easier for 15 seasons?

Then, of course, there are the fans. It will be interesting to see how they react Thursday, and if Toews decides to do an encore lap of sorts after the game.

No matter how it plays out, Toews told us Monday morning he'll do what he can to absorb everything that happens during these final days.

"I feel like it's one of those things that doesn't fully sink in until after it's over," he said. "And you reminisce (back) to the big moments when you win the Stanley Cup and you know everything (that) happened around you is going to be a memory before you know it.

"So you're trying to soak it in. So in a sense it's like that, but obviously it's different. But just trying to be present and enjoy everything."

Toews appeared to give the Hawks a 3-1 lead over Minnesota by scoring on a delayed penalty midway through the third period. The goal was overturned when officials ruled that the Wild gained control of the puck just before Toews scored.

The Wild's Marcus Johansson then scored 2 goals less than three minutes apart to give Minnesota a 3-2 lead. The second came off a careless, blind pass from Toews that was picked off by Matt Boldy in the neutral zone.

SOS ... SOS:

The Hawks sent Lukas Reichel and defenseman Alex Vlasic back to Rockford on Monday to help the IceHogs qualify for the Calder Cup playoffs.

Rockford is just 1 point ahead of the defending champion Chicago Wolves for the fifth and final spot in the Central Division. Both teams have four games remaining, including one against each other at Rockford on Tuesday.

Hawks coach Luke Richardson said Reichel was very open to instruction and also displayed a quiet competitiveness that maybe not everyone noticed.

"I remember there was one game where ... he had already scored a goal, but he was out for an empty-net goal against," Richardson said. "He came back to the bench and slammed his stick quietly. He was upset."

Richardson really hopes Reichel - and all of the IceHogs - get to experience the postseason.

"Playoffs are so fun in hockey," Richardson said. "You have a short practice, you have a meeting, you're outside, the sun's shining, the weather's getting warmer and you go in the next night and you win again. You can get on a roll like that.

"That'd be great for them to have that opportunity."

Lottery madness:

If all of that wasn't enough, we still need to keep our eye on the bottom of the standings.

After Monday's action, Columbus and the Blackhawks were tied for fewest points with 56. The Blue Jackets have three games remaining, while the Hawks have two. Anaheim (58 points in 80 games) lost its last two games in OT, which gave the Ducks 2 points and pushed them into 30th overall.

Whichever team finishes last has a 25.5% chance of winning the draft lottery. The next two squads have 13.5% and 11.5% chances, respectively.

The Blue Jackets play at Philadelphia on Tuesday, while the Hawks are at Pittsburgh and Anaheim hosts Vancouver.

Commesso coming:

Goaltender Drew Commesso will leave Boston University and sign a three-year deal with the Blackhawks, according to multiple reports. The 6-foot-2, 180-pound Commesso, who was chosen in the second round in 2020, went 24-8-0 with a 2.46 goals-against average this season and helped lead BU to the Frozen Four semifinals.

Commesso is expected to begin next season in Rockford.

Them's fightin' words:

A key moment from the Hawks' loss Monday came at the 12:20 mark of the third period when Minnesota's Marcus Foligno fought Andreas Englund. The fracas, which ended with Foligno waving Englund's helmet at a screaming Seth Jones, seemed to light a fire under the Wild.

"Englund was saying it was a bad hit on (Jujhar) Khaira during the penalty kill," Foligno said. "So I just challenged him and away we went. ... We weren't a good hockey team tonight. I was just frustrated with my play and our team's play.

Minnesota was being outshot 30-10 at one point and trailed the Hawks 2-1 before storming back in the final six minutes.

As for what Foligno said to Jones?

"It was mostly a blackout comment," Foligno said, laughing. "I think it was something like, 'I got his head.'

"I don't think they liked that. I was just ticked off, and stuff happens."