Sidney Crosby finally donned the same color helmet as his teammates and now reports are confirming what that meant- the Pens superstar center has seen a doctor and has been cleared for contact in practices.

This marks the first time since being knocked out of the lineup on January 5th that Crosby has progressed this far.

While good and tangible signs of Crosby's recovery have been few and far between, this is one.  But it's just a sign.  Crosby will not be in the lineup for tonight's game against Washington.  And he won't be back in a week either.

It's a step in the right direction though, and another hurdle to cross before Crosby can step back where he belongs- in NHL games.