Hampus Lindholm skated today, giving Boston Bruins injured reserve news a brighter tone.

The worry started Monday when Marco Sturm said Lindholm's injury was not going to be day-to-day.

By Tuesday, Boston made it official, placing him on injured reserve and activating Henri Jokiharju.

That was scary timing because Lindholm is a true load-bearer on Boston's blue line. He's 31 and has 14 points in 34 games, and those minutes are hard to replace cleanly.

Friday morning brought the first real “okay, that's something” sign. Lindholm hit the ice ahead of practice, not with the main group, but skating at all matters after an IR move.

Steve Conroy also noted Lindholm is eligible to come off IR on Sunday, even though there's no guarantee it happens. In other words, the door is at least cracked open instead of bolted shut.

Hampus Lindholm skating lifts Boston Bruins outlook

As a Bruins fan, seeing him out there is a relief, because the last week felt like nothing but damage control.

This also lines up with Sturm's more calming follow-up from earlier in the week. He framed Lindholm as somewhere between day-to-day and week-to-week and added, “It's not a big concern.”

Tactically, Lindholm's value is how he kills rushes before they become slot chances. He closes gaps, wins the first battle, then makes the simple outlet that keeps Boston from getting hemmed in.

Jokiharju being back helps the staff manage pairs and keep everyone from playing one shift too long. Still, Lindholm is the guy who settles the group when games get sloppy, especially late.

Now the Bruins just need patience and another clean update, because skating is step one, not the finish line. If Lindholm keeps progressing, Boston's next milestone is getting him into a full practice, then back into the lineup.