Few defensemen are as important to their team's success as Ottawa Senators rearguard Erik Karlsson, but he's not sure he'll take the ice with them when the season begins.

Karlsson's status for opening night remains up in the air, he told TSN's Pierre LeBrun on Wednesday, adding that he hasn't started skating yet as he rehabilitates from surgery in June to repair torn tendons in his foot.

Training camp is days away, and considering Karlsson is coming off major offseason surgery and still hasn't stepped back onto the ice, he seems unlikely to be ready by Oct. 5.

If Karlsson indeed misses any portion of Ottawa's regular-season schedule, the Sens will be in tough to replicate last season's 98-point success.

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