Stralman (lower leg) took part in practice Thursday for the second consecutive day and has started contact drills, but the defenseman does not appear ready to face the Penguins in Friday's Game 1 of the conference finals, Joe Smith of the Tampa Bay Times reports.

Analysis:

Previous reports indicated that Stralman is behind in his recovery from a broken leg sustained over six weeks ago, but his taking part in contact drills is a key milestone in the rehab process. Given his importance to the club as a puck-moving defenseman who logs big minutes, there's bound to be a hawk's eye on Stralman's playing status ahead of each contest.