William Eklund Out For An Extended Period, But Help May Be Coming

The Senators may be getting one injured forward back just as they lose another for an extended period.

Following Friday's practice, Travis Green provided some encouraging news on Andre Burakovsky, who's getting close to making his Senators debut. The veteran winger could potentially return to the lineup as early as Saturday as the Nashville Predators visit.

Unfortunately, the news wasn't nearly as positive for William Eklund.

The Senators confirmed that Eklund suffered an ankle injury in Thursday night's 2-1 home-opening victory over the Philadelphia Flyers and will be sidelined for an extended period.

Eklund was injured in the first period after a hit from Flyers defenceman Simon Benoit and awkwardly jamming his skate hard into the base of the boards. He needed assistance getting off the ice and was unable to put any weight on his left leg.

It's a disappointing development for the 24-year-old, who was just beginning to settle into his new surroundings. Acquired from the San Jose Sharks during the offseason, Eklund was expected to be a major contributor to the Senators' top six this season.

With Eklund now out of the picture for the foreseeable future, Burakovsky's potential return couldn't come at a better time. Whether he's ready to play Saturday remains to be seen, but the fact that it's a possibility is certainly encouraging.

Enforcer Kurtis MacDermid was also back on the ice after missing much of camp and the early part of the season.

On the other hand, defenceman Artem Zub was not out there on Friday as he continues working toward his return. Zub has yet to make his regular-season debut after dealing with an injury dating back to last April. He opted for rehab, which has turned out to be an extended one, and it remains to be seen whether that was the right choice. 

There were also a couple of other interesting notes at practice.

Defenceman Hoyt Stanley is still here, while Cameron Crotty (illness) was not at practice.

Crotty has been pressed into service early in the season because of the injuries to Jake Sanderson and Artem Zub and has provided some steady minutes in a depth role. But since he was sick, Stanley was called up from Belleville in the middle of the day on Thursday, giving the Senators another option as they figure themselves out, health-wise.

Sanderson has been sidelined since suffering an injury in the season opener against Toronto, Zub has yet to play, and Crotty is sick. Now Eklund faces a lengthy absence.

For a team that has already had to make a bunch of lineup adjustments, getting some healthy bodies back can't happen soon enough.

By Steve Warne
The Hockey News Ottawa