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Practice report: O'Connor returns more versatile after 'invaluable' AHL stint

CRANBERRY, Pa. -- Drew O'Connor has been waiting to get another shot in the NHL for a few months now.

O'Connor, 23, was recalled from Wilkes-Bare/Scranton on Saturday, marking the first time he's been back on the NHL roster and healthy since suffering a reported collapsed lung on Jan. 15 in San Jose.

After O'Connor was cleared to return just over a month later, he reported to Wilkes-Barre, where he worked to regain his strength and conditioning after so much time off. Once he was back to 100 percent, salary cap constraints limited the Penguins' ability to bring O'Connor back up from Wilkes-Barre, forcing him to remain in the AHL.