Karlsson not ready to return

Senators defenseman Erik Karlsson resumed practicing on Friday and practiced again this morning.

Karlsson had his left Achilles tendon cut by Penguins forward Matt Cooke’s skate in a game on February 13th. He had surgery and was expected to be sidelined for 4-6 months, which would have seen him miss the rest of the season. It has been just 10 weeks since the injury and he has been cleared to resume skating and just needs to get back into game shape before getting back in the lineup.

With Karlsson practicing there was obviously speculation that he could play tonight vs. Cooke and the Penguins. However with the Senators currently sitting seventh in the Eastern Conference, they likely are not going to rush him back. He might not be fantasy relevant in regular season pools, but should the Sens hold onto a playoff spot, he would be worth a look.

If you are in the finals of your daily league, keep an eye on his status because anytime he is on the ice he is a threat to score. The Senators play on Thursday, Saturday and Sunday after tonight so Karlsson has a few days to get to 100%. If he’s available, it could not hurt to take a flier on him.