The Ottawa Senators made a splash, trading for Jakob Chychrun from the Arizona Coyotes. However, the team has fallen behind in the playoff race. And now, they've lost Chychrun for some time as well.
Chychrun is dealing with a lower-body injury that will keep him out for at least a couple of weeks, the team announced. The injury occurred back on Thursday in a game against the Tampa Bay Lightning.
“He's done a nice job moving pucks, putting guys into the boards, and it's a big loss for us, but we've dealt with so many of these injuries and things this year for whatever reason,” Senators head coach DJ Smith said. “The next guy has to come in and do the job.”
The Senators have fallen seven points back of the Pittsburgh Penguins for the final Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference. Chychrun played 12 games with the Senators since the trade, scoring five points.
The star defenseman is not the only player out for the Senators. Forward Ridly Greig will miss the rest of the regular season, as the 20-year-old is dealing with a sternum injury.
Ottawa could turn to a couple of different defensemen in Chychrun's absence. Veteran blueliner Nick Holden figures to slot into the lineup for some time. And the team could bring up Tyler Kleven, a former 2020 second-round pick, for his NHL debut.
The Senators certainly wanted to avoid this news, but this is their reality for now. The coming weeks will tell if they can somehow make up ground and clinch a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.
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