Chris Kuc of The Chicago Tribune reports the Chicago Blackhawks will indeed have their star center in Thursday's opening to the 2012 NHL Playoffs:
Captain Jonathan Toews confirms he's playing tonight for #Blackhawks vs. Coyotes.
— Chris Kuc (@ChrisKuc) April 12, 2012
Jonathan Toews played only 59 games for the Blackhawks in the 2011-12 NHL Season, but still finished the year tied for second on the team with 29 goals. The 23-year-old captain has missed the last 22 with what is believed to be concussion symptoms.
The Chicago Blackhawks and Toews begin their match against the Phoenix Coyotes at 9:00 p.m. on the NBC Sports Network.
For more from the Blackhawks perspective, check in with SB Nation Chicago and Second City Hockey. For more from the Coyotes perspective, check in with Five For Howling and SB Nation Phoenix.
For complete coverage of the 2012 Stanley Cup Playoffs, stick with SB Nation's NHL hub. You can find team-by-team coverage from our network of hockey blogs.