Outlook for Stone’s return brightens
Mark Stone’s season might not be over after all.
The Ottawa Senators winger missed his ninth straight game with a leg injury he suffered March 9 against the Calgary Flames, but a day after saying he might be done for the season, coach Guy Boucher indicated Stone could play in the final week of the regular season.
Stone has been on the ice skating and is showing signs of improvement.
“Mark was reverting (backward) and then all of a sudden he had a good day and another good day,” Boucher said before facing the New York Islanders Tuesday night at the Canadian Tire Centre. “We’re crossing our fingers that maybe next week he can come in at some point.
“We won’t be rushing anything. If it’s too tight, it doesn’t make any sense, but if he’s perfectly healthy and he wants to go for sure, we’re going to welcome him. This is our high-end forward that we’re missing and, especially in our situation right now, it’s a gigantic difference for us.”
Captain Erik Karlsson, who has been taking personal leave to be with his wife Melinda after the couple lost their unborn son on March 19, was to return against the Islanders and replace Ben Harpur in the lineup.
Boucher said Karlsson’s schedule is up to him from now until the end of the Senators’ season on April 7 in Boston. He didn’t travel to Raleigh, N.C., to face the Carolina Hurricanes Monday because Karlsson’s family comes first.
“I will do that until the very end,” Boucher said. “I don’t want to be that person who can understand what they’re living. It’s beyond hockey and I’ve always been very respectful of the individuals and their families at all times, and even more when you live personal tragedies.
“We’ve always respected people whenever they’ve need time to take care of what they need to take care of.”
Mark (Stone) was reverting (backward) and thenallofa sudden he had a good day and another good day.