Penguins forward Filip Hallander steps onto the rink for full-contact practice at UPMC Lemieux, his first team session since a puck-induced blood clot sidelined him for over three months back in November. The 25-year-old Swede, who earned SHL Forward of the Year honors before cracking Pittsburgh's lineup with four points in 13 games, sounds newly grateful for every shift after staring down a health crisis that shook his NHL dreams.

Filip Hallander's battle back from a blood clot has Penguins brass holding their breath, but the young forward edges closer to the lineup after months on the shelf. Guys like him don't come around often in Pittsburgh's prospect pool, and his speed could jolt a bottom-six that's been scraping by. With the Olympic break winding down, Sully's got one less headache as the Pens chase that wild card spot.

Kris Letang and Pierre-Olivier Hallander skate with the Penguins again, a sight Penguins fans haven't seen in weeks amid the grind of a tight Metropolitan race. Sully's crew has been patching the blue line and forward depth without these two, but their return injects stability just as the Olympic freeze wraps up. With the trade deadline looming on March 6, Mike Sullivan tests line combos that could shift Pittsburgh's playoff push into high gear.