Chicago Blackhawks: Jonathan Toews Back Practicing After Battle with Concussion

Chicago Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews is back at practice as he continues to recover from a concussion that has taken him out of the lineup for about a month, and is hopeful of returning to the team before the conclusion of the regular season.

Toews is trying to stay strong physically and mentally during his recovery, and hopes that he won't have to wait much longer to get back into action. Saturday was also Toews' fifth straight day of skating.

Speaking to reporters on Saturday, Toews said the following about his recovery via CSN Chicago:

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“I was confident a week in that it wouldn’t take much longer. It sucks that it’s taken this long but I feel this is it,” said Toews. “Mentally I’m positive and telling myself that we’ll get through this. I’m not going to let the setbacks that have happened weigh me down.”

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It's great to hear that Toews is back at practice. The NHL playoffs would be far less exciting without him. He's one of the five best players in the league and is a force at both ends of the ice.

The Blackhawks are a legitimate Stanley Cup contender with him, but without their captain, they are a team that would be lucky to win a playoff series.

Toews doesn't need to play a ton of games before the playoffs to get back into the flow of normal contact and shake off the rust. I think two to four games would be a solid warmup for Toews before the postseason begins on April 11.

The Blackhawks are currently in sixth place in the Western Conference standings and are three points behind the Detroit Red Wings for the fourth and final spot guaranteeing home-ice advantage in the first round. 

While home ice in the first round would be a huge help to Chicago, who have the most regulation losses of any team currently in a playoff spot, getting as healthy as possible is certainly priority No. 1. 

With Toews back at practice and being able to skate for several consecutive days, the Blackhawks are now hopeful that their captain will be able to help them on the ice soon.

Having Toews back in the lineup on a regular basis won't just make the Blackhawks better, it would make the NHL playoffs more enjoyable.

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