TAMPA - During pregame ceremonies Saturday night, Lightning center Jeff Halpern made his way to the Tampa Bay bench as his name was announced as part of the playing roster.

But it still will be some time before he's part of the active roster as Halpern continues to work his way back from reconstructive knee surgery to repair the MCL and ACL in his right knee that was injured during the World Championships in May.

"Maybe by mid-December, cautiously a little later than that, but as far as getting back I'm hitting all the timelines," Halpern said. "I'm happy with it. It's still a long way away but I'm happy right now where everything is."

Halpern has been skating five days a week for up to an hour at a time, depending on whether he has company on the ice, and has been working with team trainers. While the team was in Europe, Halpern returned to Washington, D.C., to work with the same therapist who helped with a prior knee surgery on his left knee.

For now, he'll continue to work his way back onto the ice while trying to deal with the frustration of not being an active part of the team.

"In a word, it stinks to not be playing, not being part of the team," he said. "It was only a little frustrating before camp and during training camp, but then once the games started and you're not part of it, it's not fun."