The Ottawa Senators are set to get some help on the blue line soon, with Jake Sanderson and Artem Zub both expected back within the next few days, according to TSN’s Bruce Garrioch.
Sanderson has been sidelined by a lower-body injury since Ottawa’s first game of the season. In that one appearance, he was limited to 4:29 of ice time and did not record a point.
Even with that tiny sample, he remains the key defenseman the Senators have been waiting to plug back into the lineup. Over the past two seasons, Sanderson has posted 25 goals and 111 points in 147 games while logging 24:37 per game.
Zub’s absence has been longer and tied to a more serious setback. He was hurt during last year’s Stanley Cup playoffs and missed all of Ottawa’s training camp and preseason because of a knee injury. He doesn’t bring the same offensive punch as Sanderson, but he is still an important piece for the Senators on defense.
Ottawa may also be nearing a return up front. Head coach Travis Green said, via Garrioch, that winger André Burakovsky is “close.”
Burakovsky has been dealing with an upper-body injury after the Senators acquired him from the Chicago Blackhawks this past summer ahead of the NHL Draft. Last season with Chicago, he had 11 goals and 33 points in 75 games.
In Detroit, the Red Wings announced they have activated forwards Chase Stillman and Carter Bear from the non-roster/injured list and sent both to AHL Grand Rapids.
Bear, 19, stands out as the more notable name. He was the 13th overall pick and came off a big season with the WHL’s Everett Silvertips, where he scored 36 goals and finished with 77 points in 53 games.
In Other News...
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Aleksei Medvedev did his part for stretches, coming up with several key saves as London tried to steady itself and get to the finish line with two points. Instead, the Knights were left to regroup after another frustrating finish, and the attention now shifts to how they respond to a game that exposed some familiar issues and offered only a partial silver lining for those watching the pipeline. [Read more 🡒]
Senators Must Reshuffle Two Key Forward Spots At A Risky Time
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Andr Burakovsky is set to make his regular season debut as part of the fix, while Ridly Greig is moving up the depth chart to help fill the void left behind. With Artem Zub and Jake Sanderson also expected back soon, Ottawa is trying to patch together the present while keeping one eye on a healthier version of the roster, but how quickly these new combinations settle in will matter. [Read more 🡒]
Senators Wins Will Mean Even More To Ottawa Fans This Season
The first few Senators wins of the season already carried extra weight for Thomas Chabot and Tim Stutzle, and not just because of what they meant in the standings. Ottawas captain and alternate captain have pledged to donate money to the CHEO Foundation after every team victory, with the effort backed by the Senators Community Foundation and tied to a dedicated site that invites fans to chip in as well.
It is a gesture rooted in memory, one meant to honor Griffin Bell, a young Senators fan whose battle with cancer touched the organization and its supporters. The idea gives each win a deeper purpose for the fan base, turning the scoreboard into something bigger than a nightly result and adding another layer of meaning to a season already shaped by the bond between the team and the city. [Read more 🡒]