Brandon Saad Injury: Updates on Blue Jackets Winger's Mouth and Return

Brandon Saad is moving closer to his Columbus Blue Jackets preseason debut after missing some of training camp this week following an accident that saw him get struck in the face with a puck.  

Continue for updates.

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Saad Could Play Saturday vs. Pittsburgh Penguins

Friday, Sept. 25

Rob Mixer of the team's official site reports the injury caused him to undergo four root canals Tuesday. He returned to the ice for Thursday's practice and is now aiming to make his first appearance in a Blue Jackets sweater against the Penguins, though head coach Todd Richards hasn't confirmed it yet.

"It's all really about how I feel, and I felt good in practice," Saad said, per Mixer. "It's a little different with the face protection, but for the most part, it felt pretty good."

The left winger will sport a visor that covers his entire face until the injury is healed. He's not worried about the missed time, telling the Jackets' official site the camp work has been encouraging and that "good players tend to gel fairly quickly."

Columbus is expecting big things from the 22-year-old forward. The team acquired his restricted free-agent rights from the reigning champion Chicago Blackhawks back in June and then signed him to a six-year contract extension in July.

Saad has steadily improved since making his debut with Chicago during the 2011-12 campaign. Last season, he tallied 52 points (23 goals and 29 assists) while playing in all 82 regular-season games. He added 11 more points in 23 postseason contests.

Once healthy, he should have an opportunity to slot in on the team's top line alongside Ryan Johansen and Nick Foligno. Though he's not overly concerned about missing some preseason games, a few chances to build chemistry with that talented duo before the season starts certainly won't hurt.