Finally Jonathan Toews Gets Some Proper Props
Sports Illustrated may not spend as much space talking about hockey players as NBA, NFL, and MLB players, but when they do cover hockey, it’s usually spot on. The October 26, 2009, issue features the article “Captain Serious” which takes an objective look (for once) at Jonathan Toews. Seems Toews is either ignored by the media, or put in some ridiculous promo not befitting his staid personality. Even if Toews hasn’t morphed into the media darling that Patrick Kane seems to be, he is so reliable you could set your watch to his performance; that alone is worth 100 Kaners.
According to the SI article, Toews’ mother says of him:
If I had not seen him being born, I would swear he’s older.
Undoubtedly what makes Tazer so great — his uncompromising relentlessness — is also potentially his Achilles’ heel. He appears wise well beyond his years most likely because his steadfastness is mistaken for maturity. He’s likely to be just like any other 21-year-old his age in some respects.
However, one aspect of steadfastness, at least for Tazer, is that he is far too hard on himself. Speaking to SI of Toews’ scoring drought early on in the ‘08/’09 season, Adam Burish recalled,
I’d say ‘Jonathan, let it go, it’s all right.’ [Toews would] say, ‘That’s not how a captain is supposed to play.’ I’d say, ‘You want to catch dinner, the guys are going?’ and he’d say, ‘I don’t deserve to go.’ He didn’t settle down until Christmas.
On the one hand, it’s hard to argue with Toews’ logic, and you certainly can’t argue with the results. If Toews hadn’t demanded so much of himself, he wouldn’t have gotten where he has at such a young age. But such drive, if not tempered, is a one-way ticket to physical and mental exhaustion. It sounds as if Toews’ drive had gotten so out of proportion that he was psyching himself out.
Is there no happy medium? Can players such as Toews not be demanding of themselves, setting the bar higher, and yet forgiving of themselves at the same time if they do not achieve their lofty goals? (Pardon the pun.) It’s unfathomable that a hockey player the caliber of Toews would ever feel worthless, but that’s exactly the word he used to describe his emotional state early on last season. And of course it shows a lack or perspective to think you’re worthless simply because you’re in a temporary slump. Toews won’t be able to play hockey forever, and when it does go, will his self-worth go with it? Not to get all Psych-101, but perhaps building his self-worth on other things besides hockey could be something he could be working on in the interim. After all, it’s something we all struggle with. It’s a product of being human.
Thankfully, someone seems to have screwed Toews’ head back on straight over the course of the season. Toews told The Hockey News‘ Tim Sassone at the outset of the ‘09/’10 season that,
It’s easy to get super ticked off and super negative after a loss and think of everything that’s wrong with the world, but you just have to forget about that and learn from your losses and try to be as excited for the next game as you would be after a win.
So it looks like Toews is cutting himself a little slack. Now if only he could see himself as others see him. For instance, the Sports Illustrated article notes one scout’s observation that “while Kane might eventually lead the NHL in scoring, Toews will one day lead the way to a Cup.” Similarly, Red Wings coach Mike Babcock told The Hockey News,
I think Kane is a great player, don’t get me wrong, but to me the guy you build the franchise around is the Toews kid…He’s a will machine. He just keeps coming and keeps coming…I talked about Toews as the type of guy you need to lead your franchise. You need a great human being who’s a workaholic to set the tone. And that’s what you have in him.
That’s quite a compliment coming from the coach of the Hawks’ arch rival, and I couldn’t agree more. I would simply qualify the word “workaholic.” Toews has already admittedly suffered a self-inflicted psych out. When you put that much pressure on yourself, not only does your performance drop off, but then the game feels more like a chore. So should Toews be a workaholic? No. Should he maintain his current work ethic? Absolutely, because it has worked for him and will continue to work for him if he can just ease up on himself a bit. Perhaps that’s why Coach Quenneville instructs that the boys should just have fun; no one can perform optimally in a pressure cooker.
SI concludes that “Toews is composed, humble and dogged in his pursuit of excellence.” Now, compare SI’s assessment of Toews to Toews’ own ambition years ago before he had even been drafted by the Blackhawks. Toews told CBC Sports:
I hope I’m capable of being a top-line forward who puts points on the board. I want to be a responsible player and a leader…
Mission accomplished…and then some. Now if he could just learn to exhale every once in a while.