The Ottawa Senators are being handed quite a bit of blows… On Thursday, news broke news broke that Ottawa Senators free agent forward Shane Pinto had been suspended 41 games for activities relating to sports wagering. The whole ordeal therefore affects the contract negotiations with the free agent, who will be eligible to play on Jan. 21. Pinto isn’t likely to sign with the Sens until he has served his suspension in January. The team has since rescinded all previous contract offers to Pinto.
The day got worse when defenseman Erik Brannstrom was removed from the ice on a stretcher after taking a big hit from New York Islanders forward Cal Clutterbuck in the second period of that night’s game. After releasing released the puck at the Islanders’ blue line, Brannstrom was body-checked by Clutterbuck into the boards. He appeared to hit his head and/or neck area on the ice when he landed. He was stretchered off the ice and transported to a local hospital for further evaluation.
And now comes the bad news on Friday that defenseman Thomas Chabot is expected to miss 4-to-6 weeks with a fractured hand, per TSN 1200.
Chabot explained how he blocked a shot early in the second period.
“Later they took x-rays at the rink but it didn’t appear broken but he couldn’t hold his stick. An MRI this morning showed the break. It is not displaced so surgery is not required.”
There is still no update on how long Brannstrom will be out of action. Let's not forget that Artem Zub is also missing from the Senators' lineup and did not accompany his teammates on the trip, which started last night in New York. He sustained an upper-body injury he suffered Oct. 18 versus the Washington Capitals. He has been replaced by Jacob Bernard-Docker who’s picked up a goal and two assists through four games this season.
Now add, but with this new report on Chabot : the Senators’ blue line is decimated… How bad can it get in Ottawa?
This is the presser by head coach D.J. Smith on all these injuries:
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