From a health standpoint, the road to the playoffs hasn’t been smooth for Ottawa. The Senators battled a wave of injuries among their defensemen, at one point missing Tyler Kleven, Jake Sanderson, Nick Jensen, Dennis Gilbert, Thomas Chabot and Carter Yakemchuk.
Kleven skated Friday in a noncontact jersey for the first time since sustaining an upper-body injury on April 2. Coach Travis Green said the defenseman is closer to returning but didn’t say whether that would be for Game 1.
Sanderson, who returned to the lineup on April 4 after missing four weeks with an upper-body injury, said the playoff experience Ottawa gained last season will make a difference this time.
“I think it makes you more comfortable, helps the nerves,” Sanderson said. “You know what to expect for most parts. And yeah, we’re excited. I think the atmosphere is going to be unbelievable in both rinks.”
Chabot said the lessons from the Maple Leafs series will be important against a team like the Hurricanes.
“(Carolina) made runs every year, and this is only the second time we make (the) playoffs,” Chabot said. “So I know that every single guy in here is ready to face that challenge, and we can’t wait to get it going.
“We know it’s going to be tight hockey. It’s two teams that play somewhat similar hockey. But like I said … this is playoffs. This is what we wanted all year, and we can’t wait to get it rolling.”
For Green, the anticipation is no different behind the bench.
“Coaches are a lot like players. You want to play, you want to get in the game,” Green said. “As coaches, we do a lot more prep work with the players, especially during a playoff series. But we’re the same. We want to play, can’t wait for the puck to drop.
“You wait a whole year to try and win the Stanley Cup. That’s the best part of the year, so we’re excited.”