My Girl (Jonathan Toews)

68

Jonathan

While there was a lot of hype around Alexis, and rightfully so, I was still here to do a job too. And team Canada made it all the way to the finals to compete for a gold medal. I was pretty lucky to be around so much talk around the Olympics, because if they weren't taking about Alexis and figure skating they were talking about this team and hockey. Although I wasn't wearing a C for the games, I was wearing the alternate captain letter and I took a lot of responsibility for the team. I'm known for my 200 foot game and I couldn't slack in any way shape or form. I make sure I was making all the right plays and doing what is best for the team to come out on top.

So I get ready for a morning skate before the big game. I sit in my practice wear and shoot pucks at the goalie or make the younger kids more comfortable by hanging out with them and making sure they're feeling good. Although this is the biggest game many people have ever played in, it's still just one game and we wanted to come out on top. So we made sure to do everything we could to do so.

After practice we go to the locker room for interviews. Almost every person was at my stall and I knew why. They wanted to ask about Alexis since she didn't talk all that much. But she always said her skating said enough for her. That doesn't mean I don't have a lot to say.

"Hey Jonny, are you excited for tonight" a reporter asks me and I laugh.

"You can say that" I tease.

"You watched your girlfriend win gold medals in both her events, any pressure for you to win too" someone wonders.

"There's always pressure, even before I was with Alexis. I was number three over all pick, I was named captain of a professional hockey team at the age of 20. I was said to be the face of a franchise since I was ten. The pressure was always there. I think Alexis makes this thing all the more fun, if I win then we'll celebrate together and if I lose she can give me shit about it until the next olympics" I explain.

"How has things for you guys changed since she won" he asks. I take a second to think about the question before I smile.

"Alexis is the most real person you will ever meet. She wears her heart on her sleeve, she's so vulnerable yet capable of handling everything herself. I love being around her because she expresses her feelings in the most beautiful ways, whether it be in her skating or in her smile. Everything she does is so beautiful because she's not afraid to fail. She's not afraid to put herself out there, that's what allows her to be so great.

I can't put into words how incredible Alexis is. I mean you guys see it, but you don't really see it. Behind closed doors that girl is working her ass off, never takes a day off and never takes it easy. What she did is incredible, it's super human like. To have the injury she had, to have her parents give up on her and for her to give up everything she loves in order to raise her sister, you can't tell me there's a story better than that. Not even in the movies does she make it out of all of that with two gold medals. But she did it, she came back and she trained harder than I've ever seen anyone train and now look at her. She's a icon and I'm truly her biggest fan" I explain.

"How does doing this with her by your side make it different than your chance for gold in 2010" a woman questions.

"She makes everything better. I can't wait to go out there and see her face in the crowd with her sister and my family cheering me on. I can't wait to embrace her after the game, win or lose. She's made this all worth while and I just hope I can hold up my end of the bargain" I joke.

"What's going to happen after the olympics" someone questions and I just smile. I think about my plans for when we get home and I try not to give too much away.

"We'll return home and continue to build our lives together. Alexis will put skating on hold for a little to relax, she'll probably get her sister into something that won't hurt her and be involved in that. I'll be doing Blackhawks games and making sure I'm being the best I can possibly be on and off the ice. Then later on we can just see where the hand given to us plays and do what we can do. Alexis and I have been together for over a year now, and I know it's going to be many years after that. I can't wait to see what the future holds, I can't wait to wake up next to her in the mornings and just smile as she looks up at me. There's no greater feeling than the love she has for me and I can't wait for to be able to tell her that every single day for the rest of our lives" I insist.

"Well were looking forward to seeing how this power couple ends up" the reporter says and I nod.

"Yeah man, me too."

It comes game time and I take the ice for warm ups. Even though we were in Sochi there was a lot of Canadian jerseys. Hockey has always been a Canada thing but we've been pretty good for a while and I'm hoping to make my legend grow a little larger today.

Once the game gets under way I feel some of that pressure. But instead of cracking I remember why it was so easy for me to play in the first place. I think about how much fun I have playing the game I love and who I do it for and suddenly I felt I unstoppable. In fact I don't stop until the gold medal rested on my chest and we sang O Canada as the flag raised to the raptors. I know this gold medal doesn't change much of my legacy. I know I didn't have to win and be on the same page as Alexis. But I did need these precious memories and beautiful moments to remember forever. Like standing up here and finding my people in the crowd with their arms around each other as they watch over me.