Toews thrilled Chicago Blackhawks going back to Great Outdoors
Playing hockey outdoors — in the snow, rain, sleet, freezing cold — it never gets old.
Especially for Chicago Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews, who grew up playing on a backyard rink built by his dad every winter in Winnipeg.
“It's just how I learned how to play the game,” Toews said. “Just playing around, being creative and literally letting the hours fly by.”
And come Jan. 1, Toews will get his sixth opportunity to play an NHL game at an iconic outdoor venue when the Hawks face the Boston Bruins in the 2019 Winter Classic at Notre Dame Stadium.
Toews was at the United Center on Thursday to promote the event with teammate Alex DeBrincat, Boston's Patrice Bergeron and Charlie McAvoy, Hawks president and CEO John McDonough, Notre Dame director of athletics Jack Swarbrick, NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly and TV analyst Eddie Olczyk.
Toews and the Hawks have gone just 1-4-0 in these outdoor games, which have been held at Wrigley Field, Soldier Field, Washington's Nationals Park, Minnesota's TCF Bank Stadium and St. Louis' Busch Stadium.
The game at South Bend could be seen by 80,000-plus fans … and tickets still are available.
“This is a match made in heaven,” McDonough said. “We played at Wrigley Field. We've played at Soldier Field. Now we're going to play at historic Notre Dame Stadium.
“Eleven national championships. Knute Rockne. Frank Leahy. Ara Parseghian. Lou Holtz. Some of the greats of all time. It's an honor to be in that majestic setting at Notre Dame.”
One of Toews' greatest memories of the outdoor games was the team's first one against Detroit at Wrigley Field on Jan. 1, 2009. Just two years removed from playing in front of perhaps 6,000 fans a night at the United Center, the Hawks and Red Wings put on a show for 40,818 that will never be forgotten.
“That was the first step to bringing hockey back,” Toews said. “It was exciting. It was exciting to walk around town and all of a sudden people knew all about the Blackhawks. Just to be a part of that was pretty cool.
“You can't forget that first step and where this franchise has come from.”