Help is on the way for the Ottawa Senators.

As the Senators prepare to open the home part of their schedule on Monday at the Canadian Tire Centre, defenceman Tyler Kleven is expected to make his return against the Nashville Predators at 1 p.m.

Kleven hasn’t played since he suffered an ankle injury in the club’s first exhibition game on Sept. 21 against the Toronto Maple Leafs. He took part in an optional skate on Sunday with Drake Batherson, Kurtis MacDermid, Jordan Spence, and Ollie Lycksell.

“The goal right now is to play tomorrow,” Kleven said on Sunday. “The progress has been good.”

Kleven didn’t think the injury would require three weeks to heal.

“I didn’t think so. It was a fluky injury, and I originally thought it was going to be a couple of days,” Kleven said. “Some other things popped up, and it turned out I needed to rest a little longer.

“I’m glad that I took the time I needed to. The preseason is great to get your touches in. But I tried to do everything I could to watch and understand the structure and to try to get it back into the regular-season form that I was in. It definitely took a little longer than I thought.”

Batherson, who made the club’s road trip to Florida but didn’t suit up against the Tampa Bay Lightning in a 5-4 win last Thursday or a 6-2 loss to the Panthers on Saturday night in Sunrise, didn’t rule out Monday, but wasn’t convinced he would play either.

It sounds like he’ll skate with the club on Tuesday and make his season debut against the Buffalo Sabres on Wednesday on the road. He suffered a pulled muscle in his upper body in practice on Sept. 24.

“I felt really good today, and I should be playing this week for sure,” Batherson said. “I don’t know about tomorrow, but aiming for Wednesday definitely.”

Batherson said he hasn’t missed a game in three-and-a-half years and wants to get back in there, but needs to improve his conditioning.

“It’s always tough watching,” Batherson said. “It’s conditioning, really. I’ve only played one game since training camp, so it’s just about getting my legs under me and making sure I feel 100 percent comfortable.”

bgarrioch@postmedia.com