MacDonald (lower body) is ahead of schedule, as he's now aiming to return for the Oct. 4 road opener against the Golden Knights, Sam Carchidi of The Inquirer reports.

EDGE Analysis

News broke on Sept. 9 that MacDonald would need roughly six weeks to overcome his lower-body injury, but the veteran defenseman is optimistic that his rehab won't take that long. "It feels pretty good skating. I think they're more concerned about getting hit at this point," MacDonald said. "After the next appointment with the doc, we'll see when I get the clearance for contact." A proficient shot blocker, MacDonald redirected 131 shots last season in only 66 games. He also posted six goals and 15 assists to complement a plus-8 rating over that span.