Coming off a 2-0 win over the Seattle Kraken Saturday, the Senators went back to work Monday at the Canadian Tire Centre to prepare for Tuesday’s visit by the first-place New York Rangers at 7 p.m.
If all goes well at the club’s morning skate, centre Ridly Greig, who has missed 10 games with a high ankle sprain he suffered Nov. 2 against the Los Angeles Kings, will come off the long-term injury reserve list and is expected to make his return against the Rangers.
The 21-year-old Greig skated with wingers Mathieu Joseph and Dominik Kubalik on the club’s third-line. That could change because neither captain Brady Tkachuk or defenceman Thomas Chabot were on the ice Monday.
The good news is both had maintenance days and are expected to face the Rangers.
Greig has two goals and seven points in nine games this season. He can help in a third-line role behind Tim Stutzle and Josh Norris.
“Ridly plays hard every night,” said coach D.J. Smith. “He makes it hard on the other team. He gets under at the net, he can make plays in transition and he just gives us an element that maybe we’re missing a little bit.”
If Greig is ready to return then general manager Steve Staios won’t have to make any rosters moves to fit his 863,333 U.S. salary into the fold. The club sent centre Matthew Highmore to its AHL affiliate in Belleville Sunday to get his $775,000 NHL contract off the books.
BACK TO FORSBERG?
Judging by the skate Monday, Anton Forsberg will make the start against the Rangers, but we’ll have to wait and see.
He was solid by making 39 stops in the victory over the Kraken Saturday for his first shutout of the season and the fourth of his career. Forsberg was solid in every aspect of his game and it would make sense for Smith to stick with him against the Rangers.
Smith said he wanted to discuss the situation with goalie coach Zac Bierk before making a final determination, but noted the club will need to have Joonas Korpisalo and Forsberg during this next stretch of games.
“We’ll talk to (Bierk) and everybody and then see about that decision,” said Smith. “One thing I know is there a lot of games coming up and we need them both to go.
“I know (Korpisalo) is going to get going for us and if that’s tomorrow I expected him to be really good. If it’s Forsberg, I’d expect him to keep rolling.”
For what it’s worth, Forsberg was in the home team goal (also known as the starter’s end) most of the 40-minute skate Monday.
THIS N’ THAT
Smith isn’t sure if he’ll dress 11 forwards and seven defencemen against the Rangers again. With Greig returning, the club may want to have 12 forwards in the lineup for this one. “We’ll make that call, but it’s all going to come down to who’s healthy,” Smith said. “If guys are 50-50, do we need an extra guy if (someone) gets hurt early? Those are the determining factors.” The club wanted to get blueliner Jacob Bernard-Docker in against the Kraken after he was a healthy scratch in Columbus Friday … There was mild concern during the skate when Stutzle went down in a drill and left the ice grimacing in pain. He went straight to the dressing room, but after getting checked out by head athletic therapist Dom Nicoletta, Stutzle returned and finished the skate. Yes, there was a sigh of relief when that happened.
