This season’s unusually high number of NHL injuries continues to rise. On Monday night, Ottawa Senators defenseman Thomas Chabot took a crosscheck from New York Rangers captain J.T. Miller towards the end of the first period.
The replay showed Miller unloading a stiff crosscheck to Chabot on the left arm, catching him on the upper portion of the wrist. The hit seemed to have caught Chabot above the padding of the glove.
Chabot is likely another casualty of NHL injuries, having played 10:21 on Monday night. While Sens coach Travis Green said that Chabot would “be out for a while,” there is no real clarity on the situation.
So, medical expert, Dr. Harjas Grewal, weighed in, essentially fearing the worst for Chabot. In Dr. Grewal’s expert medical opinion, Chabot could have sustained a broken bone.
If that’s the case, the prognosis is at least four weeks on the shelf for the ailment to heal. Of course, that’s a MINIMUM of four weeks. Healing from one of these NHL injuries can take longer, depending on the severity.
In contrast, if the injury isn’t as severe, the timeline may whittle down drastically. Still, it’s likely the Chabot will be out week-to-week, depending on the overall nature and timeline of this injury.
Senators Dealing with NHL Injuries in Midst of Playoff Hunt
Losing Chabot is just the latest of their NHL injuries. The club is already without top blueliner Jake Sanderson. The 23-year-old Olympic gold medalist sustained an upper-body injury in early March against the Seattle Kraken.
Sanderson has already resumed skating, but won’t be back just yet. He could return to the ice before the end of the regular season.
Another blueliner, veteran Nick Jensen, remains day-to-day. He could return soon and fill in for Chabot.
Lastly, the Senators’ blueline core was further depleted with the loss of Lassi Thompson on Monday night against the Rangers. Thompson left the game early in the middle frame. There is no timeline for his return amid the Senators other NHL injuries.
But as Green stated, Thompson will also be out for some time. It remains unclear if he’ll return this season.
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Prospects to Debut for Senators
Given the rash of NHL injuries befalling Ottawa, the club recalled two prospects. Defensemen Carter Yakemchuk and Jorian Donovan will likely play on Tuesday night against the Detroit Red Wings.
The two young blueliners would not have likely played this season. However, the unfortunately high number of injuries precipitated the move. In particular, Yakemchuk, who was the Sens’ first-round pick in 2024, comes with plenty of expectations. The former seventh-overall pick has shown promise.
Who knows, this could be the beginning of a major shift for Ottawa. It could mean that yet another up-and-coming defenseman could join the D-corps.
As for Donovan, he was a fifth-rounder from the 2022 NHL Draft. It’s evident Donovan is getting a shot amid the Senators’ latest NHL injuries. It’s still nice to see the 21-year-old get a shot at the Bigs. If he plays well, Donovan could push veterans for a full-time job next season.
NHL Injuries: Medical Expert Fears Worst for Senators Chabot
