Toews Wins Mark Messier Award
Chicago Blackhawks captain and former University of North Dakota standout Jonathan Toews added more hardware to his personal trophy case tonight, winning the Mark Messier Leadership Award at the 2015 NHL Awards show in Las Vegas.
The Messier Leadership Award is given to a player “in recognition of his commitment and service to charities in his community” and recognizes an individual as a superior leader in hockey and as a contributing member of society. It honors an individual who leads by positive example through on-ice performance, motivation of team members, and dedication to community activities and charitable causes.
Earlier this month, Toews captained the Blackhawks to their third Stanley Cup championship in the last six years. In 81 regular season games, Toews led Chicago in points (66) and goals (28). He added another 10 goals and 11 assists in 23 playoff games.
According to NHL.com, Toews actively participates in various team endeavors including Make-A-Wish visits. Independently, he served as the honorary chairperson for the Israel Idonije Fundraiser, which helps underserved communities by providing programs focused on social and emotional life skills. Toews also supported the Winnipeg Foundation in creating its Nourishing Potential campaign and continued his role with Misericordia, a Chicago group that offers care for those with mild to profound developmental disabilities.
Other finalists for the 2015 Mark Messier Leadership Award included Anaheim’s Ryan Getzlaf and Winnipeg’s Andrew Ladd.
Toews was also the runner-up to Boston’s Patrice Bergeron for the Frank J. Selke Trophy, given to the best defensive forward in the NHL. A finalist for the Selke Trophy four times in the last five years, Toews won the award in 2012-13.
Toews spent two seasons at North Dakota in 2005-06 and 2006-07, earning first-team All-America honors as a sophomore. He finished his collegiate career with 85 points (40 goals, 45 assists) in 76 games, leading UND to the NCAA Frozen Four in each of his two seasons.
Courtesy UND
