Karlsson insists he's 'not too far away' from return, but hasn't taken contact

Erik Karlsson says he's getting closer to playing in a game, but it doesn't sound like that will happen anytime soon.

The Ottawa Senators superstar confirmed he will not suit up against the Detroit Red Wings as his club had hoped he might, while providing some further details about how his recovery is going.

"We're still fairly early in the process (and) I don't know if I've skated even 10 times yet," Karlsson told reporters Saturday afternoon, via TSN. "Once we get moving forward here, I think it's going to move along fairly fast, but ... there are still some small issues that (are) probably going to bother me (when) playing a game and playing against opponents (when I'm) going to be checked all the time."

The all-world defenseman had offseason surgery to repair tendons in his foot following the Senators' run to the Eastern Conference Final. He's made it clear he won't return until he's 100 percent healthy, a goal he doesn't appear close to reaching yet.

"I still haven't taken contact," Karlsson said Saturday. "I haven't (yet) done the things I need to do to put myself in (a) game situation."

However, he clarified that it might not be necessary for him to absorb contact in practice before appearing in a game.

"I think it's going to go straight from no contact to pretty much playing a game," Karlsson said. "When that is? We're not really sure yet, (but) we're not too far away."

After Saturday's contest, the Senators embark on a three-game Western Canadian road trip, but the dynamic blue-liner didn't seem certain he'd be able to join them.

"We're not sure yet," he said, according to TSN's Brent Wallace. "We haven't really thought that far (ahead), and ... that's something we'll (evaluate) probably (Sunday) when we leave. So, as of right now, it's still going to be day to day, and it's always fun to go out west, so we will see."

Karlsson added he hasn't ruled out joining the club mid-trip if he doesn't fly out with them initially.

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