Watson will make his season debut after missing the Sens' first eight games of the 2021-22 season after suffering an ankle injury in preseason against Montreal on Oct. 7.
"Intensity and leadership," Sens head coach D.J. Smith said about what Watson will bring upon his return. "He's great in the room, great on the bench, always upbeat and certainly there to look after the guys. We could use him on the penalty kill as well.
"It'll be great to have him back."
Watson hasn't suited up in a regular season game since March 22 after his 2020-21 campaign was cut short due to a hand injury he suffered against Calgary in the final minute while blocking a shot. Last season, Watson had three goals and 10 points in 34 games.
At the time of his injury, his 49 blocks led all NHL forwards while his 100 hits ranked 10th.
"He's a huge part of our team," Thomas Chabot said. "There's not many guys around the league like him. They show up every single night and work as hard as they can. They're ready to block any shot. When you see a teammate go down with an injury, it's never something you want to see, so when you hear he's coming back it's always great news."
