Ben Kindel is back on the ice with the Pittsburgh Penguins.
His presence was a welcome sight for fans at Tuesday morning's practice after the 19-year-old centre collapsed on the team's flight back from Utah a week ago due to a vasovagal episode.
Kindel skated on the team's second line, alongside Egor Chinakhov and Evgeni Malkin, and on the second power-play unit.
Penguins head coach Dan Muse confirmed he was full contact.
"(Kindel's) been around here, even going back to last week — in the building, around the guys," said Muse. "But obviously the next step was just having him back on the ice with the team for a full team practice and being a full participant. It was great to have him back with us."
Following Kindel's collapse, the team's plane turned back for an emergency landing, and he was transported by ambulance to a hospital before being released the next day.
"Nice to be back out there with the guys, Kindel told reporters after practice Tuesday.
"... I think the Penguins explained (what happened) pretty good in their releases and (general manager Kyle Dubas') press conference and everything. I don't really have any more facts from the incident, but just happy to be moving forward now and grateful for the Penguins staff, doctors, trainers, everybody who were so good, as well as the flight crew.
"Just, yeah, really grateful for that, and they handled everything with really good professionalism, and everything worked out good, so now just looking to move forward."
Kindel has two points and two assists in nine games this season for Pittsburgh. He played nearly 19 minutes during the loss to Utah on Oct. 19 and missed the Penguins' subsequent two games.
He told reporters he started working out again "probably one or two days" after returning to Pittsburgh.
A native of Coquitlam, B.C., Kindel recorded 35 points (17 goals and 18 assists) in 77 games last season, his first in the NHL.
Pittsburgh next plays at home on Thursday against the Mammoth.
