Done deal: Blackhawks goalie Corey Crawford will start Thursday vs. Coyotes

He’s back.

Goaltender Corey Crawford, No. 3 all-time in victories and No. 2 in postseason victories on the Blackhawks’ career list, will start Thursday night against the Coyotes at the United Center. It’ll be the 33-year-old Crawford’s first game action in nearly 10 months, after 52 straight regular-season games on the shelf due to the effects of a concussion.

“It’s exciting,” coach Joel Quenneville said. “I’m sure he’s looking forward to it. We all are excited about him in there as well. It’ll be a fun situation for the guys.”

Crawford spoke Wednesday of the “nerves” he expected to feel as he takes his familiar spot for the first time since leaving a game early last December in New Jersey.

“It’s good to get to this point now where you’re really close to playing,” he said.

Will he be brought back full-bore? The Hawks still have backup Cam Ward and a third goalie, Anton Forsberg, on the roster.

“He missed five games to start the year, so I think we’re fortunate that it’s this early,” Quenneville said. “And we have a big stretch of games in front of us right now, as well. We’ll gauge to see how he’s handling it, as well, in selecting his starts, but definitely we’re all excited about the situation.”

To make room on the roster, center Luke Johnson was reassigned to AHL Rockford.