An Erik Karlsson update emerges at Penguins practice

Reports out of practice said it was full attendance, and Karlsson was on the ice in a white no-contact jersey.

That's not clearance, but it is movement after a quiet week.

The Penguins officially placed Karlsson on injured reserve Tuesday with a lower-body injury, and the club said he'd be re-evaluated in two weeks.

Seeing him skate this soon is a small but meaningful step.

As a fan, the white jersey feels like relief, because the blue line looks different without his puck touches.

It's easy to forget how much Karlsson drives the game until he's missing.

He has 4 goals and 33 points in 44 games.

That's also why the injury matters beyond one spot in the lineup.

Pittsburgh leans on him for transitions, and when he's out, breakouts turn into more chips, more resets, and more shifts spent defending.

The business side never disappears with him, either.

Karlsson carries an $11.5 million cap hit, so any absence always feels louder.

What Sunday's skate really tells us is the timeline might not drift.

The no-contact sweater usually means he's cleared for controlled work, but not cleared for battle, and lower-body injuries can be tricky with a defenseman's pivots.

For Dan Muse, this is about patience and protection.

If Karlsson comes back too early, the first awkward retrieval can undo a week of progress, and the Penguins can't afford a relapse stretch.

The next milestone is simple, get him into a regular jersey, then get him through a full-contact practice, and only then start talking game action.

Until that happens, the best sign is still the one fans saw Sunday, he's skating, and the room looks a little lighter.

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