Karlsson hopes to begin skating within 2-3 weeks

Ottawa Senators defenseman Erik Karlsson, who is recovering from foot surgery, hopes to start skating within 2-3 weeks.

Karlsson, who had surgery to repair four torn tendons in his left foot June 14, finished the Stanley Cup Playoffs with 18 points (two goals, 16 assists) in 19 games despite playing with two hairline fractures in his left heel and muscle damage in his ankle.

"It's progressing," Karlsson told TSN during the Senators' charity golf tournament Monday. "It's been the appropriate amount of time for me to start using it. Obviously, I haven't started skating yet. I don't know when that will be, probably in the next 2-3 weeks depending on how things go. Overall, not too worried about where I'm at or how it's looking right now. I think that everything is pretty much going as expected."

Karlsson will not return until he's 100 percent, meaning he could miss opening night, something he told NHL.com last week during the NHL Player Media Tour in New York. The Senators host the Washington Capitals at Canadian Tire Centre on Oct. 5.

"Whenever I'm actually 100 percent, I'm going to come back and play, whether that's in October or November," Karlsson told TSN. "For me personally, it's not going to make a difference. When I do decide to come back, it's going to be 100 percent and I'm going to be ready to play, and not make sure that it's going to be an injury I'm going to battle with for the next 2-3 years.

"I think I'm going to need at least two weeks probably to get into skating shape. Whether I feel good after those two weeks will be a determination that's going to have to be made at the time. I don't know. You never know how's it's going to react when I start skating. As of right now we're not looking like it's going to be an issue once the time starts for me to start skating."