Apr 25, 2022
Senators limping towards the finish line
Out of the playoff picture for over a month now, the Ottawa Senators will be without a few staples of their lineup for the remaining three games of the regular season.
By Claire Hanna
Out of the playoff picture for over a month now, the Ottawa Senators will be without a few staples of their lineup for the remaining three games of the regular season.
Senators head coach D.J. Smith announced Monday that right winger Connor Brown, who collected 39 points in 64 games and has consistently been a part of Ottawa’s top-six forward group, is done for the year.
“He’s had some nagging injuries,” Smith said after Monday’s practice. “He played through a lot of them. Eventually it was affecting his game too much, so he won’t go the rest of the way.”
Brown had 16 points in 10 games to help Canada capture gold at the IIHF World Championship in Latvia last year. It’s been reported that he has been a part of Hockey Canada’s roster discussion to defend the title in Finland in May.
“That’ll be his call and that it’ll be discussed between (GM) Pierre (Dorion) and him and Team Canada,” Smith said.
There were glimmers of hope that centre Shane Pinto would return to the lineup for the end of the season, but that now looks unlikely. The 21-year-old forward required shoulder surgery after injuring himself on Oct. 21 and then re-injuring his shoulder on Nov. 13.
Despite being a full-participant at practice on Monday morning and even getting repetitions on the Senators second power-play unit, Pinto isn’t expected to suit up for any of the three remaining games.
“He wants to play,” Smith said. “The surgeon isn’t 100 per cent on the timeline. We just ran out of track. I guess as much as I want him to play, if we're not 100 per cent (certain) we’re not going to put him in there.”
Centre Colin White is also doubtful for the rest of the season after entering the league's COVID-19 protocols on April 16. White, 25, has played just 24 games this season, registering three goals and seven assists.
“White is out. Skated but then it felt worse, so doesn't look good for him the rest of the way,” Smith said. “We'll see – maybe the last game, but it doesn't look good at this point.”
Smith said that Scott Sabourin and Mark Kastelic will be recalled from the AHL when the Senators host the New Jersey Devils on Tuesday. The forwards helped the Belleville Senators clinch a spot in the AHL playoffs for the first time in franchise history with a 4-3 win over the Toronto Marlies on Sunday.
“Great for them. They’ve been battling for six weeks, playing playoff hockey,” Smith said. “Kastelic probably would have been here (the NHL) the entire time. He was a big part (of the win), he scored yesterday. Saturday as well (in the NHL). It’s good for them and it’s good for the guys to keep playing.”
Fans were also hopeful they’d get a glimpse of prospect Jake Sanderson suiting up before the season ended after the defenceman signed an entry-level contract with Ottawa in March. Sanderson, the fifth-overall pick in the 2020 draft, has been dealing with a hand injury since the end of his NCAA season with North Dakota.
Smith said Monday that Sanderson won’t play for the Senators this season, but Dorion may choose to send him into action with Belleville.
Lines at Monday’s practice:
Tkachuk-Norris-Batherson
Formenton-Stützle-Gaudette
Kelly-Gambrell-Watson
Mete-Tierney-Pinto
Chabot-Hamonic
Brannstrom-Zub
Holden-Zaitsev
Del Zotto
Forsberg
Gustavsson