Semyon Varlamov is back on the ice, folks, and honestly, it feels nothing short of a miracle after the news that he went through *two partial knee replacements*. Yeah, you read that right. TWO. The guy was out there at the end of last season with a couple of AHL rehab starts, but seeing him back in camp, ready to roll? That’s the real story opening up this training camp. We finally know what was going on, and it wasn’t just some run-of-the-mill injury.
The Rehabbed and The Reeling: Key Returns and Early Camp Shocks
Varlamov isn’t the only one making a big comeback. Alex Romanov missed nearly all of last season, a brutal 10 months of repair and rehab, but the word from Mathieu Darche and Pete DeBoer is he’s in tremendous shape. Then there’s Pierre Engvall, who’s still around and, according to the source, “still handsome.” His entire 2025-26 season got wiped out by hip and ankle procedures. He’s feeling great and ready, but Coach DeBoer isn’t sugarcoating it: there’s intense competition at forward, and a year off is a huge hurdle to clear. It’s a tough road ahead, and these guys are feeling the heat to prove they’re game-ready.
But not all the news is good. Mathew Barzal is a surprise “not skating” for the bulk of camp, an injury flare-up they’re managing with the “long game” in mind. Darche hasn’t ruled him out for the season opener, but it’s clearly a concern. This shifts things around, with extra centers, like Cal Ritchie, getting chances at wing and even back at center. Day two and three scrimmages saw DeBoer trying different power play and penalty kill combinations, knowing there’s not much time to get those critical units firing. He even gave Matthew Schaefer reps on the right side, a move he figures will be necessary at some point, maybe even for long stretches. Youngsters like Victor Eklund, who scored again in the first scrimmage, are scrambling to impress and make the roster.
The Puck Drops Sunday: What’s on the Line
It all kicks off this Sunday at 1 p.m. in Newark for the brief preseason schedule opener against the Devils. What’s at stake? Everything. It’s about getting the power play and penalty kill up to speed fast. It’s about seeing which young guns like Eklund can really step up and claim a spot. And with Barzal’s injury looming, it’s about seeing who rises to the occasion. This early in the season, every shift matters, every scrimmage performance counts. Let’s see who’s truly ready to battle.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Lighthouse Hockey.
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