Story Summary
Jake Sanderson will play for the Ottawa Senators in their season opener against the Toronto Maple Leafs after a precautionary absence following a pre-season game.
The defenceman left Ottawa’s game on Sept. 26 for precautionary reasons and was held out of practice before returning on Friday. His availability gives the Senators one of their key blue-line players for the opening fixture.
Elsewhere in the latest NHL lineup and injury updates, Andrei Kuzmenko is due to make his Pittsburgh Penguins debut against the Montreal Canadiens after returning to the team following the death of his father. Mackie Samoskevich has been activated from injured reserve and is expected to debut for the Seattle Kraken against the Edmonton Oilers. New York Islanders forward Mathew Barzal, however, is progressing without yet skating after aggravating a prior injury.
Key Facts
- Jake Sanderson will play for the Senators against the Maple Leafs in Ottawa’s season opener.
- Sanderson left a pre-season game on Sept. 26 for precautionary reasons, was held out of practice, and returned on Friday.
- Senators forward Warren Foegele, listed with an undisclosed issue, will also play against Toronto.
- Ottawa defenceman Artem Zub, who has a knee injury, and forward Andre Burakovsky, who has an upper-body injury, skated in non-contact jerseys on Friday.
- Andrei Kuzmenko will make his Penguins debut against the Canadiens after returning to practice on Friday.
- Kuzmenko left Pittsburgh on Sept. 24 and travelled to Russia following the death of his father, a respected hockey coach.
- Pittsburgh opened its regular season with a 7-0 win against the Philadelphia Flyers.
- Penguins forward Blake Lizotte, who missed the regular-season opener with a lower-body injury, took part in an optional skate and said he is available to play.
- Seattle activated Mackie Samoskevich from injured reserve; he is expected to make his Kraken debut against Edmonton after missing the season-opening 6-1 win at Calgary with an upper-body injury.
- Samoskevich joined Seattle in a trade with the Florida Panthers on June 21.
- Kraken forward Jacob Melanson has been placed on injured reserve and is week to week with an upper-body injury after playing 9:31 against Calgary.
- Mathew Barzal is progressing but has not resumed skating for the Islanders after missing training camp and the season-opening 2-1 loss at Toronto.
IHM Discussion
Sanderson’s return is the clearest immediate positive for Ottawa. The Senators had treated his absence conservatively after the Sept. 26 pre-season exit, holding him out of practice before allowing him to return. The important fact is not simply that he practised again, but that he is now confirmed to play in the opener.
Ottawa will still begin with two players limited to non-contact work. Zub and Burakovsky skated on Friday, which marks activity rather than clearance for game action. Foegele’s availability adds another confirmed option up front, but the club’s injury picture remains mixed beyond the players named to play.
Pittsburgh’s update carries a significant personal context. Kuzmenko has returned after leaving the team to mourn his father. He said he was happy to be back in Pittsburgh, had missed hockey and wanted to return to work. His debut comes after the Penguins’ 7-0 opening win against Philadelphia, while Lizotte has indicated that he feels well enough to be available after missing that game. Ben Kindel, meanwhile, did not practise after taking part in full contact over the previous two days because of a lower-body injury.
Seattle has one player returning and another moving onto injured reserve. Samoskevich missed the 6-1 victory at Calgary with an upper-body injury but has been activated and is expected to play at Edmonton. Melanson’s week-to-week designation is less encouraging, particularly as he had already appeared against the Flames and logged 9:31.
For the Islanders, Barzal’s status remains a matter of recovery rather than an immediate lineup decision. He missed camp after aggravating a prior injury and was absent for the 2-1 loss in Toronto. New York expects him to skate by the end of next week, but he has not yet reached that stage.
Why It Matters
Opening-night availability matters because early-season lineup decisions are often shaped by who is fully cleared rather than who is merely progressing. Ottawa have confirmation on Sanderson and Foegele, while Zub and Burakovsky remain limited in non-contact jerseys.
For Pittsburgh, Kuzmenko’s return restores a forward who is ready to make his first appearance for the club, but the update should be viewed with appropriate perspective after his bereavement leave. Seattle receive a possible new option in Samoskevich after activating him from injured reserve, while Melanson’s placement on injured reserve removes a player who had already featured in the opener.
Barzal’s absence is especially notable for New York given his production last season. He led the Islanders with 72 points, made up of 19 goals and 53 assists, in 81 games.
Mini Q&A
Will Jake Sanderson play in the Senators’ season opener?
Yes. Sanderson will play against the Toronto Maple Leafs after returning to practice on Friday following a precautionary absence.
Why did Andrei Kuzmenko leave the Penguins?
Kuzmenko left Pittsburgh on Sept. 24 and travelled to Russia after his father died on a fishing trip. He returned to practice on Friday and will make his Penguins debut against Montreal.
When could Mathew Barzal return to the ice?
Barzal is progressing but is not yet skating. The Islanders expect him to skate by the end of next week.
Coach Mark Comment
The practical distinction in these updates is between participation and clearance. Sanderson has moved through the full sequence from precautionary removal to a return to practice and a confirmed place in the opener. Zub and Burakovsky have not reached that point: non-contact work is a useful step, but it does not establish game readiness.
Seattle’s handling of Samoskevich is similarly clear. Activation from injured reserve and an expected debut indicate an immediate opportunity, whereas Melanson’s week-to-week status requires the Kraken to manage without him. For coaches, the opening priority is usually to avoid asking returning players to solve every problem at once; clear roles and controlled usage are the sensible starting point when a player has recently been unavailable.
What Comes Next
Ottawa’s opener against Toronto will provide the next confirmed checkpoint for Sanderson and Foegele, while Zub and Burakovsky remain in non-contact jerseys. Kuzmenko is set to make his Pittsburgh debut against Montreal, and Samoskevich is expected to play his first game for Seattle at Edmonton. The Islanders expect Barzal to resume skating by the end of next week.
IHM Final View
Sanderson’s confirmed availability gives Ottawa a settled answer ahead of its opener after a short precautionary interruption. Across the league, the updates range from expected debuts for Kuzmenko and Samoskevich to more cautious injury management for Melanson and Barzal. The central distinction is clarity: some players are ready to play, while others are still progressing through recovery.