Kindel (lower body) was cleared to take contact during Thursday's practice, Wes Crosby of NHL.com reports.
Kindel skated with the fourth line while Blake Lizotte (lower body) was sidelined. Given how well the trio of Filip Hallander, Hendrix Lapierre and Ville Koivunen performed in the season opener, Kindel could find himself relegated to a fourth-line role once activated off injured reserve.