Photo credit: pittsburghpenguins.com

On the morning of the fourth game of Pittsburgh's season, a welcome sight skated onto the ice.

Jordan Staal, who was injured in the playoffs last year but continued to play, suffered some setbacks which required surgery on his injured foot during the summer.

First reports before the season said Staal would miss the preseason, but soon after it was revealed he'd miss part of the regular season as well.

In late September, Staal shared his frustration with the media. “It’s frustrating for any player going through this kind of thing,” Staal lamented. “Again, it’s the first bump in my career and I’m sure everyone goes through it. I’ll get through. Missing the first game definitely hit me hard. The arena’s pretty special and obviously to play the first game would have been a pretty special feeling, but it comes with the territory playing hockey. You find injuries every now and then.”

While there is still no timetable on Staal's return, seeing him on the ice and working with strength coach Mike Kadar had to boost the morale of not only his teammates but also Pens fans.

The Penguins have started the regular season with a record of 1-2-0 and play at home tonight against the Toronto Maple Leafs at 7:30pm EST.