Ken Holland could reportedly target Jonathan Toews

By now, hockey fans are well aware of current Edmonton Oilers general manager Ken Holland's propensity to go after older players who are well past their prime for that "grizzled veteran" touch. Red Wings fans were nearly driven mad by Holland during his later years in the organization when he traded away highly touted prospects for older players with not much left in the tank, and Oilers fans have gotten a taste of it as well.

And as you're no doubt aware by now, the Chicago Blackhawks have officially turned the page on the Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane era that yielded three Stanley Cup championships; Kane was traded to the New York Rangers in March, and the team informed Toews that he would not be re-signed.

As a pending unrestricted free agent, it was suggested by The Athletic that Toews could be an ideal candidate for Holland in Edmonton - though if that were to happen, it would be for a short term and cheap contract. 

Per author Daniel Nugent-Bowman:

"The Oilers could use another depth center, and Toews — if healthy — would check a lot of boxes as someone known for his leadership and defensive prowess.

But their cap situation and Toews' health mean they won't be opening the vault for him. If their due diligence deems it worth offering Toews a contract, it'll be for one year and likely less than $1 million."

Toews, who missed the entire 2020-21 NHL season with chronic immune response syndrome, was limited to 53 games in 2022-23. He scored 15 goals with 16 assists in what would prove to be his final season as Blackhawks captain. 

Should this ultimately go down, it wouldn't be the first former Blackhawks veteran that Holland acquired, as he brought in 2015 Conn Smythe Trophy winner Duncan Keith for one year in 2021-22 in a move that drew plenty of criticism from fans and media.

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