Mon 12/26/11 1:56 PM

Marc Staal (concussion) was involved in contact drills during Monday's practice. "I did some battle drills down low, took some hits," Staal said. "It was good. Obviously I didn't feel great after two days off, physically, but I felt good enough to start doing drills." Staal's return isn't imminent, but the fact that he's now taking part in contact drills is a huge step forward.