Three veteran Senators defencemen are licking their chops in anticipation of a fresh, injury-free start.
Jared Cowen and Marc Methot are actually healthier than ever now, while Chris Phillips feels he "turned the corner" to recovery last weekend.
"I'm in better spirits about that," said Phillips, who suffered a cracked vertebra while rehabbing from back surgery. "I'm on the way up as opposed to on the way down."
Phillips, the franchise leader in games played at 1,179, has never before missed training camp time. His workout regiment is still limited to an elliptical and the treadmill in the team's medical room pool, and there is no timeline on his return to hockey activity.