Cheveldayoff, an assistant GM in Chicago when Toews and the Blackhawks won the 2010 Stanley Cup, said that when he joined the Jets the following year, he and team co-owner Mark Chipman mused about the possibility of seeing Toews in a Winnipeg jersey one day.

On Friday, most American hockey fans were celebrating their most patriotic holiday. North of the border, up in Manitoba, the Winnipeg Jets were introducing the latest addition to their team. Former Chicago Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews arrived and did his first media as a Jet.

Toews told the sizable audience that, despite interest from multiple teams, Winnipeg felt like the only choice.