It’s been a rough few weeks for Ottawa Senators fans, as their crowned jewel defenceman Erik Karlsson has been recovering from foot surgery. The Swede’s projected return time has been murky, as some intitialy believed he would be out for the forseeable future. That doesn’t seem to be the case, though, as Karlsson returned to practice yesterday and looked pretty smooth on the ice.
It’s a small sample size, but it’s nice to see the 27-year-old at least get out there with teammates and test out his mobility. Sens fans will also be ecstatic after hearing that Karlsson’s name is on the team's roster for their next preseason game on Monday, September 21st. That’s not to say he’ll necessarily play, but it’s still good to see that he has been made available as an option.
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It’s hardly a surprise to see the defenceman on the ice, as it’s not the first major injury he has managed to come back from. In 2013, Karlsson suffered a torn Achilles after Matt Cooke inadvertently (that’s up for debate) stepped on the back of his heel.
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Karlsson’s return is a win for both the Ottawa community and hockey fans all around, as the game just isn’t the same without him. Hopefully he’ll be out there in the team’s season and home opener against the Washington Capitals on October 5th.
