The Ottawa Senators’ worst fears came true on Wednesday in a devastating injury update.
Head coach Travis Green addressed the media, providing an update on injured defenseman Thomas Chabot. Chabot sustained a hand injury after taking a vicious cross-check from New York Rangers captain J.T. Miller in Monday night’s 2-1 victory.
Green confirmed that Chabot had surgery and would miss about four to six weeks. It’s unclear what exactly the procedure was, as Green stated it was “forearm or something.”
The loss has certainly hurt the Senators, who are going down to the wire for the second wild card spot in the Eastern Conference. The Senators enter Thursday night’s action tied with the New York Islanders at 85 points. However, the Sens hold the wild card spot over the Islanders due to fewer regulation losses.
For the Senators, every game is crucial. They’ll host the Pittsburgh Penguins on Thursday night at the Canadian Tire Centre. The Penguins are third in the Metro Division with 86 points and a potential wild card rival.
As such, Thursday night’s game is one the Senators have to win to stay alive in the Eastern Conference playoff race.
No Penalty Called on Chabot Crosscheck
To add insult to injury, there was no penalty for Miller’s crosscheck to Chabot. The replay clearly showed the intent with which Miller laid the wood to Chabot’s arm. However, the Rangers’ captain got away with one.
The play has drawn the same sort of criticism as other controversial hits over the last couple of weeks. At least Radko Gudas got a five-game suspension for his hit on Auston Matthews. Meanwhile, Florida Panthers forward A.J. Greer got three for hitting Calgary Flames forward Connor Zary from behind.
Unlike Chabot and Matthews, Zary did not sustain a major injury. The hit on the Senators’ blueliner, nonetheless, continues to spark scrutiny over the uneven discipline the league has enforced over the years.
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Senators Getting Sanderson Back
In a bit of good news, the Senators will be getting star defenseman Jake Sanderson back soon. As Green stated, Sanderson will be joining the Sens on their upcoming road trip. That’s a quick two-game set in Florida.
Ottawa will be taking on the Tampa Bay Lightning in a Saturday matinee. Then, the Senators will head to Sunrise to face the Florida Panthers next Tuesday night.
While it’s still unclear whether Sanderson will play in any of those two games, it’s encouraging to see the Olympic gold medalist getting ready to return.
The Senators could get Sanderson back into the lineup before the end of the regular season. And if the club plays long enough past the end of the regular season, Chabot could get back into the fold.
That’s an optimistic turn of events for a team that’s dealt with injuries all season long. The good news seems to be that the team is potentially getting healthy at the right time.
The Senators have 11 games remaining on their schedule and will be looking to close out their season with their second-straight playoff berth.
Senators’ Worst Fears Come True in Devastating Injury Update