Jonathan Toews reportedly suffered a concussion on Feb. 10 against the San Jose Sharks, and after playing five games following that injury, the Chicago Blackhawks captain sat out for the first time against the Detroit Red Wings on Tuesday night.
He will miss Thursday's game against the Dallas Stars, too, both with that concussion and because his car hit a pole in Chicago on Thursday morning. Via CBS Chicago, Toews' black Mercedes-Benz struck an elevated train support on Lake St. in downtown Chicago at about 10 a.m. Toews was driving the car and was taken away in an ambulance, but escaped serious injury in the crash.
The oddest part of the story: Bystanders took pictures and asked for autographs while Toews was in the ambulance, apparently.
"I saw his car in the pole," Theron Banks, an employee at Steak Express said. "I came out. People were everywhere. Toews was in the ambulance. People were videotaping and taking pictures and trying to get autographs, but police said they couldn't get autographs."
Oh, hey. Hockey player just got in a car crash! I think I'll ask for his autograph! Seems like a sound train of thought, there. Luckily Toews seems in good shape following the crash, but there's still the lingering concussion issue that will keep him out of hockey for at least Thursday's action and perhaps beyond.
For more on the Blackhawks, check in with SB Nation Chicago and Blackhawks blog Second City Hockey.