Senators are optimistic that help is coming upon their return from the break.

The Ottawa Senators are expected to have additional support available when they return to the Canadian Tire Centre on Thursday.

Upon their return to the Canadian Tire Centre on Thursday, the Ottawa Senators are anticipated to have additional support or reinforcements available.

As the Ottawa Senators conclude their seven-day break and prepare to return to the ice on Thursday at 4 p.m., they await updates on the status of goaltender Anton Forsberg’s recovery from a right groin injury and defenseman Jake Sanderson’s ability to resume skating.

Despite initial optimism before the break regarding Forsberg’s imminent return, he remains on the long-term injury reserve and hasn’t participated in team practices. The hope is that Forsberg, who has been diligently rehabilitating during the break, might be available as a backup to Joonas Korpisalo against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday. However, confirmation of his readiness will only come after the team reconvenes.

As for Sanderson, who sustained a lower-body injury in the last game before the break, there’s uncertainty about his availability against Toronto. While it’s believed to be a minor injury, the team will assess his status on Thursday after his rehab efforts during the break.

Veteran Travis Hamonic is set to return from his lower-body injury, providing defensive support. If Forsberg is ready to return, roster adjustments will be necessary to accommodate his $2.75 million cap hit. The team currently has $1.2 million in cap space after assigning Rourke Chartier to the AHL before the break.

Sending Kevin Mandolese back to the minors can free up an additional $775,000, but more cap space is needed to activate Forsberg. This may require sending down Zack MacEwen or Jacob Bernard-Docker, with MacEwen being a lower-risk option due to his healthy scratch status against Detroit.

Regardless of Forsberg’s availability, Joonas Korpisalo is expected to start against the Leafs. Korpisalo, who signed a five-year, $20 million deal in July, showed improved consistency leading into the break with a 5-1-2 record in his last eight appearances.

With interim coach Jacques Martin likely keeping Korpisalo in the net, the Senators face decisions regarding roster adjustments and cap space management as they gear up for the latter part of the season.