Ice Chips: Senators D Bernard-Docker leaves practice after hard fall

Ottawa Senators

Ottawa Senators defenceman Jacob Bernard-Docker left practice Monday after falling hard into the boards, according to TSN's Claire Hanna.

Hanna reports that Bernard-Docker was unable to put any weight on his left leg, with the 24-year-old having to be helped off the ice by his teammates.

Video via @Gab_Lafrance on X

Ottawa has been hit with a multitude of injuries at this point of the season, with Linus Ullmark, David Perron, Travis Hamonic, and Michael Amadio all currently on injured reserve.

Head coach Travis Green did not have an update on his defenceman's status after practice, but expressed concern for the apparent injury.

''You always worry about your players,'' he told Hanna. ''You worry about your players. Especially with something like that, seeing a guy getting helped off the ice.''

Brady Tkachuk was one of the players who helped Bernard-Docker off the ice.

''There's probably a million thoughts that go through his head at a time like that,'' said the Senators captain. ''I just wanted him to let it all out and it sucks. I just want to be there for him. There's not really a right thing to say in that time. 

''I think when we were going off the ice everybody was just kind of around and offering support.''

Bernard-Docker, a first-round selection of the Senators back in 2018, has recorded one goal and three assists in 25 games played this year.

The Senators also recalled forward Jan Jenik and defenceman Nikolas Matinpalo from the AHL, the team announced. 

Jenik, 24, has recorded four goals and three assists in 13 games with the Belleville Senators this season.

After spending his first four seasons with the Arizona Coyotes, Jenik was traded to Ottawa over the summer in exchange for Egor Sokolov. In 22 career NHL games, Jenik has scored four goals and six points.

Matinpalo, 26, has made one NHL appearance for the Senators this season in a 3-1 win over the Minnesota Wild on Dec. 29. The Finnish blue liner went pointless in 10:24 minutes of ice time in the contest.

In 24 games with Belleville this year, Matinpalo has two goals and six assists with 10 penalty minutes.

Ottawa rolled out the following lines at practice today: 

Tkachuk - Pinto - Greig
Giroux - Stützle - Batherson
Cousins - Norris - Gaudette
Reinhardt - Ostapchuk - Gregor
Jenik

Sanderson - Zub
Chabot - Jensen
Kleven - Matinpalo
Bernard-Docker - Amadio

Forsberg
Meriläinen

Vancouver Canucks 

The Vancouver Canucks placed forward Dakota Joshua on injured reserve retroactive to Jan. 3, the team announced on Monday.

Joshua was forced out of Vancouver's game against the Nashville Predators on Friday with an apparent leg injury. TSN's Farhan Lalji reports that Joshua attempted to return to the game in the third period, but was unable to do so.

''Week-to-week,'' head coach Rick Tocchet said to TSN's Farhan Lalji on Joshua's status. ''But it's not like three weeks I don't think. Is it a week? It is nine or 10 days, I don’t know...”

In a corresponding move, the Canucks recalled forward Jonathan Lekkerimaki from the Abbotsford Canucks of the AHL.

The 20-year-old native of Tullinge, Sweden made his NHL debut for the Canucks earlier this season, scoring one goals in five games. Vancouver selected Lekkerimaki with the fifth overall pick in the 2022 NHL Entry Draft.

Joshua, who averaged 12:21 minutes of ice time per game this season, scored two goals and totaled four points in 24 games. 

The 28-year-old joins a growing list of injured players for the Canucks, as Elias Pettersson and defenceman Quinn Hughes have missed time in the last week, as well as goaltender Thatcher Demko.

Vancouver returns to action on Monday against the Montreal Canadiens sitting fourth in the Pacific Division with a record of 18-12-8. 

According to Tocchet, Hughes is a game-time decision while Pettersson is not expected to play. 

''Game time on [Hughes],'' he said. ''I don't think Petey is going to play tonight. Hughes is a possibility.''

Toronto Maple Leafs

The Toronto Maple Leafs placed defenceman Jake McCabe on injured reserve retroactive to Jan. 5, the team announced Monday.

In a corresponding move, Marshall Rifai has been recalled from the AHL's Toronto Marlies.

McCabe left Sunday's 3-2 overtime win over the Philadelphia Flyers after suffering an apparent injury following a fight with Garnet Hathaway.

The blue liner fell hard on the ice with Hathaway landing on top of him. McCabe, whose head appeared to hit the ice, was slow to get up but did leave the playing surface under his own power.

McCabe missed five games last month after taking a puck to the head during the Maple Leafs matchup with the Tampa Bay Lightning on Nov. 30. He had one hit in 7:12 minutes of ice time before departing Sunday's game.

"I didn't like it. I don't like what I saw. He's sticking up for his teammate. We all really appreciate that. It's concerning for sure," Berube said, referencing McCabe engaging with Hathaway after he bumped Leafs rookie goaltender Dennis Hildeby.

McCabe entered the contest with one goal and 10 assists for 11 points in 35 appearances. 

As well, forward Max Domi was fined $5,000 for elbowing Hathaway, NHL Player Safety announced on Monday.

The fine is the maximum allowable under the collective bargaining agreement.

The incident occurred near the beginning of the third period when Hathaway was carrying the puck up the boards and Domi went in for a hit, leading with his elbow.

Domi was assessed a two-minute elbowing minor penalty on the play.

The 5-foot-10 centre has three goals and 14 points in 33 games this season.

Florida Panthers

The Florida Panthers have recalled defenceman Tomas Bjornfot from their AHL affiliate, Charlotte Checkers.

Bjornfot has spent the entirety of the 2024-25 season in the AHL. The Swedish blue liner has recorded two goals and nine assists in 27 games for the Checkers this year.

The 23-year-old made four NHL appearances last season, split between the Los Angeles Kings, Vegas Golden Knights, and Panthers.

He was claimed off of waivers by Florida last March, marking his third team played for during the 2023-24 campaign.

The former first-round pick of the Kings back in 2019 has posted one goal and 14 assists across 120 NHL games since debuting during the 2019-20 season.