The last thing the Ottawa Senators needed in the middle of their playoff chase was an injury to Thomas Chabot. The Senators were already without top defenseman Jake Sanderson, and Chabot had been holding down the fort quite well in his absence. However, the Senators’ blueliner left the game against the New York Rangers on Monday night and did not return due to an arm injury, according to Senators PR, via X, formerly Twitter.
Chabot wasn’t the only defenseman the Senators lost on Monday night, as Lassi Thomson also exited with an apparent leg injury. It led Ottawa to play over half the game with just four defenseman, which isn’t ideal in a must-win game against the struggling Rangers.
Chabot had a goal and six assists after stepping into Sanderson’s role as the team’s top blueliner. If he is unable to play down the stretch for Ottawa, head coach Travis Green will hope Sanderson recovers quickly. If the Senators have to play any number of games without both defenders, it could be some long nights for the backend. The team announced that Green will give an update on Chabot post-game, according to the Amazon Prime broadcast.
Sanderson does project to return within the next 7-10 days. However, if Thomas Chabot is now out long-term, the depth of the team’s blueline will be heavily tested. With just four defenseman remaining for a team that is already struggling in that area, the Senators were just hoping to get out of the game against the Rangers unscathed. Luckily for them, the reeling New York roster mustered just seven shots through the game’s first 50 minutes.