Jake Sanderson expects to play in Senators opener vs. Leafs

Ottawa's best defenseman got hurt in the last week of the preseason. Friday morning gave the first real sign he'd be ready in time.

Bruce Garrioch

@SunGarrioch

Jake Sanderson on the ice for this skate. #Sens t.co/llZNiWq8vm

Sanderson left last Saturday's preseason game against Montreal with what the team called a precautionary exit. He then missed practice for most of the week, which is exactly the kind of quiet that gets a fanbase worried 7 days before the Battle of Ontario. Friday's skate looked like a normal practice and not a recovery skate, because Sanderson took his usual line rushes.

Bruce Garrioch

@SunGarrioch

Today's alignment #Sens Foegele-Stutzle-Batherson Eklund-Cozens-Zetterlund Amadio-Pinto-Giroux Cousins-Halliday-Hodgson Greig-Burakovsky Sanderson-Matinpalo Chabot-Spence Kleven-Yakemchuk Crotty-Zub Ullmark/Ersson

That's Sanderson in his regular spot alongside Matinpalo, with Chabot-Spence and Kleven-Yakemchuk filling out the pairs. The front office sent a signal of its own on Friday too, loaning 21-year-old defenseman Hoyt Stanley to AHL Belleville. You don't send a depth defenseman to the minors the day before the opener unless you think your No. 1 guy is playing.

Bruce Garrioch

@SunGarrioch

Travis Green says Sanderson is a good sign to play tomorrow #Sens "See how he is tomorrow," says Green #Sens

Travis Green didn't guarantee anything, which is pretty standard for a coach with a game the next night. He's leaving himself a morning to see how Sanderson feels. The player sounded more sure of it than his coach did.

Bruce Garrioch

@SunGarrioch

Jake Sanderson says we'll see about tomorrow but expects to play #Sens

It's easy to see why Ottawa is sweating it. Sanderson is heading into his 5th NHL season after going 5th overall in 2020, and he put up 54 points (14 goals, 40 assists) in 67 games last year. He also runs the top power-play unit. Starting the season without him against Toronto would have meant giving up the Senators' best puck-mover in a game that sets the tone for the whole rivalry.

Sanderson wasn't the only good news on Friday. Warren Foegele, who missed all of camp, is cleared to play Saturday. Artem Zub got his first ice time of the fall in a non-contact jersey, but his knee injury will keep him out of the opener.

Bruce Garrioch

@SunGarrioch

Warren Foegele says he had off season surgery for an issue lingering from the playoffs. Didn’t expect to miss camp. #Sens

Meanwhile, the Leafs ran their own practice and will host the Sens with Bobrovsky and Stolarz listed in goal. The thing to watch is Saturday morning's skate. If Sanderson is out there with Matinpalo again, Ottawa gets its top defenseman back for night 1, and a week of quiet worry turns into a preseason scare.