Most of the NHL’s top blueliners share a similar path: top picks who lived up to or exceeded expectations and those who quickly became top prospects shortly after their lesser draft statuses. 

Devon Toews was neither. 

His pathway was longer and removed from the spotlight. Two years in the BCHL, three impressive but far from exceptional NCAA seasons, and two-and-a-half high-scoring, but again, far from unusual AHL seasons before reaching the NHL. It took until his third year of draft eligibility to hear his name called.

Today, Toews is one of the 20-or-so best defenders in the sport, with a game that somehow seems tailor-made for today’s game while providing a glimpse into what it will become. 

But this isn’t a story of evolution; Toews has always been ahead of his time, whether in the BCHL, N