Knee injury will likely keep Senators' Artem Zub out of season opener next week

Advertisement 1 This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Breadcrumb Trail Links HomeOttawa SenatorsSportsHockeyNHL Knee injury will likely keep Senators' Artem Zub out of season opener next week The 30-year-old defenceman is still rehabbing the same problem he sustained in Round 1 of the Stanley Cup Playoffs in April. Author of the article: By Callum Fraser Published Sep 23, 2026 3 minute read Join the conversation Ottawa Senator Artem Zub talking to the media at the Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa earlier this year. Tony Caldwell/Postmedia Article content A week and a half before their regular season opener, the Ottawa Senators top defence pairing was missing at practice. Article content Jake Sanderson and Artem Zub each will not dress for split-squad pre-season games against the Toronto Maple Leafs at 7 p.m. on Wednesday. Article content Article content Zub, who is still rehabbing a knee injury he sustained in Round 1 against the Carolina Hurricanes in the spring, is progressing “slowly,” coach Travis Green said. The 30-year-old defender did not have off-season surgery. Article content Article content “He’s skating a little more,” Green said of Zub. “I don’t see him being ready to start the season with where he’s at right now. It’s a slow process, but we are seeing progression.” Article content Sports Get the latest sport headlines and breaking news. Sign Up By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. Article content Sanderson’s ailment is far less serious. He stopped by the media scrum late morning to chat on the side with a couple reporters before heading out. Article content “I don’t even want call it an injury,” Green said of Sanderson. “We’re just precautionary, making sure that he’s right.” Article content Neither Sanderson nor Zub played in the team’s first pre-season game on Monday, a 3-2 overtime loss to the Montreal Canadiens in Trois-Rivières. The final opportunity to get game reps in before the regular season opener on Oct. 3 will be this Saturday, a split-squad contest against the Habs. Article content Zub is yet to meet with the media and has not practised with the rest of the team yet. Sanderson was paired with rookie Carter Yakemchuk during the first few days of camp. Article content Zub, heading into the final season of his four-year, $18.4-million contract, is due a considerable raise. He has…