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This next couple of weeks are pivotal for MacArthur, who hasn’t played a game since October, 2015 after missing nearly all of last season with a head injury.

“Clarke is at a point, I’ll be honest with you, he was in the office today asking for penalty kill and power-play clips,” Boucher said. “He’s preparing himself to continue progressing (and) he wants to come back.

“He’s at a point where he’s looking good in practice. We’re moving the direction that was expected.”

Boucher said MacArthur is stepping it up but doesn’t want to put a timetable on his return and set up expectations for possible disappointment because the reality is medical clearance hasn’t been given for his return yet.

Passing the baseline test is pivotal for MacArthur to resume his career.

“I don’t want to put any pressure on when he can (play) or will he or whatever,” Boucher said. “All I’ve been saying for the last month is, first of all, he’s been practising with contact for awhile. We haven’t had the final test, (where) the doctors OK him (and him) feeling like, ‘I’m there’.

“We’re not there yet but we’re definitely much further along in the process of, ‘OK, we’ve passed quite a few stages,’ he’s at the point where he’s playing as a forward in practices, he’s looking at clips on video. His mind is in the right place … I didn’t say medically, in terms of preparation.”

If MacArthur is able to play, then the Senators don’t have to give up any assets to get him and the reality is this situation will be determined one way or another by the end of the month.

Until then, Dorion will keep working the phones and by the end of this week he’ll have a pretty strong list of exacty what’s available on the market.

bgarrioch@postmedia.com

Twitter: @sungarrioch