Williams waits another week

VANCOUVER, British Columbia -- While Jonathan Toews returns to the lineup tonight against the Canucks, Jason Williams must wait another week for his frustration to end.

The Blackhawks have targeted next Sunday's game against Colorado at the United Center for the return of Williams, who has missed 34 of the last 35 games with what finally was diagnosed as a sports hernia that required surgery.

Williams is back practicing with the team, which is good enough for him for now.

"To be back at practice with the guys again definitely feels good," Williams said Saturday. "Hopefully things just keep going in the right way and I don't have any setbacks. I want to try to get back in the lineup as soon as I can, but I want to make sure I'm feeling really good and confident."

Williams had surgery three weeks ago, and it was anticipated it would take at least four weeks for him to play.

"To get here and get in some flow drills was nice, but I'm still missing that first few steps in the jump," Williams said. "I have to get a little stronger again and get in some battle drills.

"It's been very frustrating. This is the longest I've ever been out in my career, but if I can get back to 100 percent and hopefully help get this team into the playoffs I'll be happy."

Chemistry test: Nobody is more pleased to see Jonathan Toews return than linemate Patrick Kane.

"We've been playing together the whole year, we've done well together and hopefully the chemistry can reunite," Kane said. "I'm sure it will. It just makes our lineup better."

Hawks coach Denis Savard planned to use Patrick Sharp with Toews and Kane as he did earlier in the season.

"I thought those three had a lot of chemistry," Savard said.

Robert Lang will center the second line for Martin Havlat and Tuomo Ruutu. The third line will consist of Yanic Perreault, Rene Bourque and Dustin Byfuglien, while Savard sticks with the fourth line of Adam Burish, Martin Lapointe and Craig Adams that had such a strong game in Calgary.

Martin St. Pierre and Jack Skille will be healthy scratches tonight.

Bad rumor: How would Hawks fans feel about a trade of Cam Barker and Jack Skille, both former No. 1 draft picks, to the Buffalo Sabres for defenseman Brian Campbell?

That was the speculation in Saturday's Toronto Sun, which Hawks general manager Dale Tallon shot down as not true.

"That would be a big no," Tallon said.

Barker and Skille would be a steep price to pay for Campbell, who could be signed as an unrestricted free agent on July 1.