Sanderson returns for Senators’ season opener in Toronto

Jake Sanderson will play for the Ottawa Senators in Saturday’s season opener against the Toronto Maple Leafs, NHL.com reported after the defenseman returned to practice Friday.

Sanderson left a September 26 preseason game for precautionary reasons and had been held out of practice. His return puts him back in the lineup for Ottawa’s first regular-season game.

The Senators face a Toronto team that has already split its first two games. The Maple Leafs lost 3–2 to Montreal before beating the New York Islanders 2–1.

Ottawa’s game-day report said Tim Stützle centered Drake Batherson and Warren Foegele at the morning skate. Those practice combinations remain subject to change before puck drop.

The game is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET, 5 p.m. MDT, at Scotiabank Arena. Ottawa lists Sportsnet Ontario and Sportsnet Pacific for Canadian television coverage and TSN 1200 for its English radio broadcast.