CHICAGO — Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews and Avalanche center Matt Duchene have been teammates on Canada’s gold medal teams at the 2014 Olympics and the 2016 World Cup. They have the same agent, Pat Brisson. And they both were the third overall choice in the NHL draft: Toews in 2006 and Duchene three years later.
Their friendship began when they met at the 2010 NHL awards gathering, where Duchene was a Calder Trophy finalist.
“I’ve gotten to know him pretty well, actually,” Toews said Thursday at the United Center. “We’ve been teammates a couple of times. He’s a special player, and he just loves the game more than anyone I’ve seen.