The Ottawa Senators are in the middle of a rabid playoff push, currently sitting 10th in the Eastern Conference. Their regulation win over the New York Islanders on Thursday was vital for their postseason chances. And for the last seven games, they have played without one of their best players. Senators defenseman Jake Sanderson has been out with an upper-body injury and is expected back soon.
“Jake Sanderson could return in 7-10 days, Senators coach Travis Green said before their 5-2 win against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday. The defenseman has missed the past seven games with an upper-body injury he sustained in a 7-4 win at the Seattle Kraken on March 7. Sanderson has 48 points (11 goals, 37 assists) in 62 games this season and leads Ottawa in time on ice per game (24:49),” NHL.com's Status Report reads.
Sanderson was a key piece for Team USA during the Olympic Games, leading them to a gold medal. For the Senators, he has been an ace on both the power play and penalty kill. Thomas Chabot has filled in nicely, but Sanderson's presence will make this playoff push even more real.
The Senators are three points behind the Detroit Red Wings for the final spot in the Eastern Conference Wild Card race with a game in hand. Goaltending was a big issue for Ottawa early in the season, but since the Olympics, Linus Ullmark is back to his old self. He has allowed just 25 goals in 10 games, allowing the offense to win games with timely scoring.
Bringing back Sanderson would help Ottawa's defense and goaltending even more. They are one of the hottest teams in the league at exactly the right time, and they could be getting one of their best players to make the run that much easier.
The Senators continue the playoff push on Monday against the New York Rangers.
