Devon Toews pronounced “Tayvz” and of no relation to the Blackhawk captain, Jonathan Toews, came to the Avs in a trade with the New York Islanders on October 12, 2020. Toews and his wife were married on a Saturday, and the following Monday, he was traded to the Avs due to the Islander salary cap constraints in exchange for draft picks. I’d say that getting to move from Long Island to Denver is the best wedding present the newlyweds got.
Like most good Canadians, Toews began playing hockey at the age of six in his hometown Abbotsford, British Columbia, which sits above the Washington-Canada border and southeast of Vancouver. At the height of 5’2, Toews was passed up by the Western Hockey League, the highest level of junior hockey in Canada, and joined the major-midget team, the Fraser Bruins. After recovering from a bus accident and a subsequent growth spurt, in 2010-11 Toews led his league for defensemen points at 37 in 39 games. He then played with the Surrey Eagles, part of the British Columbia Hockey League, and earned a full scholarship to the small college of Quinnipiac University in Hamden, Connecticut.
After his freshman year, he was drafted by the Islanders in 2014 but went unsigned for two seasons, where he continued to play for the Quinnipiac Bobcats. In 2016 he signed a three-year contract with the Islanders and was assigned to the Bridgeport Sound Tigers. Despite ending his collegiate playing career, Toews continued his studies in Accounting and graduated in 2017.
In December of 2018, Toews was recalled to the Islanders and made his NHL debut on December 23, 2018, and got his first NHL goal in an overtime home win against the Blackhawks. In his first full season with the Islanders, they made a deep run in the playoffs that ended in the Eastern Conference Final in 2020. The following fall, he was traded to Colorado.
Since arriving in Colorado, Toews has become a staple to the defensive core, averaging 25:31 mins of ice time per game. Cale Makar’s is 25:43. At 28, he is currently having a career-high season with 54 points (13 goals and 41 assists). Last year, he had 31 points, and 28 the season prior.
My Riggins
Off the ice, Toews keeps his pre-game ritual low key, usually by watching an episode of Entourage, and spends his free time with his wife and cream golden retriever, Riggins, named for the one and only Tim Riggins. Now, coincidently I, too, have a cream golden pup named for the same fictional heartthrob, and if there is going to be another person with the same name as my dog, I’m glad it is an Av. Texas Forever, unless we are playing the Stars, obviously.