The Trib reports that Sidney Crosby will skate with the Penguins while they are in Florida later this week. The Pens play the Panthers on Friday, and Crosby is currently in Washington with his teammates.

In addition, Crosby will soon talk to the media. Crosby and the Penguins have been nearly silent about his condition in recent weeks.

"He will be skating during this trip," Bylsma said. "He also will, at some point in time, address the media. That will happen in the next few days. It isn't a set plan, but it will happen."

Crosby returned to great fanfare on November 21 after missing the better part of a calendar year with concussion symptoms, but his symptoms returned, and he has not played in over a month. The Penguins are floundering without him and without several other key contributors, and have lost five games in a row. Obviously, a healthy Crosby would be an enormous boost for the Penguins, who might struggle to even make the playoffs unless their play improves dramatically. If Crosby's last extended absence taught us anything, though, it's that the length of time before the first whispers of a return and the return itself can be quite long.

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