Thursday will be an emotional night for ex-Blackhawk Jonathan Toews

Connor Bedard and the Chicago Blackhawks will be in Winnipeg tonight in a crucial game for the standings.

After a convincing 7-3 win over the Ottawa Senators at the United Center last Tuesday, the Blackhawks are now fifth in their division, with a 5-3-2 record.

Divisional matchups are important for teams looking to make the playoffs, even those early in the season, and even if the Hawks aren't considered a serious contending team, the surprising start and the young core's emergence showed encouraging signs.

How the team fares in games against top teams like the Jets will be a great indicator of where they're at in their development, and a win will have a big impact on the standings.

With a regulation-time win, the Blackhawks would tie the Jets at 14 points in 11 games for third place in the division.

However, that won't be the main storyline of the night.

Indeed, tonight will mark the first time Jonathan Toews faces the Blackhawks on the ice after returning to the NHL.

Toews, who missed the whole 2024-25 season to deal with health issues, signed a one-year contract with the Winnipeg Jets during the offseason.

The Blackhawks' third overall pick in 2006 and three-time Stanley Cup champion in Chicago has been having a good start to the season, with five points in 10 games.

The Jets' second-line center has been performing well despite missing a full season but still hasn't found his full rhythm. It'll be interesting to see what he does tonight on the ice in his first game against his former team.

Chicago can expect a strong team effort from the Jets, as there will likely be some money on the board for this one.