Crosby cleared for contact … Connolly injury update … No surgery for Markov … Erat to IR … Salak and Atkinson to AHL … Strome to OHL
  • Shelly Anderson of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: Sidney Crosby confirms he’s been cleared for full contact. How he responds to the contact will determine when he’ll be cleared to play. Bob McKenzie via twitter: “Given rate at which Crosby recovery has moved, no guarantee at all that game action is imminent, but that won’t stop the speculation.”
  • James Mirtle via twitter: Maple Leafs forward Tim Connolly says he may not be day-to-day anymore, “I have to give it time.” Mirtle guesses at least another week. Darren Dreger via twitter: Maple Leafs GM Brian Burke admits that Connolly’s injury is worse than initially thought, but does expect him back soon. Terry Koshan via twitter: Connolly on his upper-body injury: “Whether it is a week or two weeks before I am playing, I could not tell you.”