The Senators are scratching captain Brady Tkachuk on Tuesday night time in opposition to the Sabres resulting from an upper-body damage, per Bruce Garrioch of Postmedia.
He’s been coping with a nagging lower-body challenge for the reason that 4 Nations Face-Off that’s threatened his availability however suffered a brand new damage when he was hit away from the play by Penguins defenseman Ryan Graves late within the second interval of Sunday’s recreation, head coach Travis Green confirmed to Claire Hanna of TSN.
Winger Angus Crookshank has been introduced again up from AHL Belleville underneath emergency situations and can change Tkachuk within the lineup, the group announced.
Tkachuk did return to the sport after the collision with Graves, who was assessed an interference penalty on the play. His ice time remained considerably conservative, although, skating 15:41 in an extra time loss. Whereas Tkachuk averaged north of 18 minutes per recreation for the season, he’s hit that mark simply as soon as in his final 11 video games.
There’s no timeline for his return, and there will likely be comprehensible anxiousness in Ottawa till the group provides its subsequent replace on Tkachuk’s standing. The group’s chief in objectives (29 in 71 GP) is a must have within the lineup forward of the Senators’ doubtless overwhelming return to the postseason earlier than even contemplating his off-ice significance and intangibles as one of many league’s most antagonizing energy forwards.
Since he was capable of return to the Pittsburgh contest over the weekend, there’s doubtless hope for a day-to-day timeline in comparison with something threatening his playoff availability with simply two weeks left on the regular-season schedule.
The absence ought to present a quick reset for Tkachuk, who’d gone with out a level in his final three video games however has 8-3–11 in 15 appearances since coming back from the 4 Nations break. He solely has 55 factors (29 G, 26 A) in 71 video games total on the season, although, his worst points-per-game fee for the reason that abbreviated 2021 season.
Traditionally a mediocre finisher, he’s taking pictures proper round his profession common of 9.7 p.c. He continues to generate a great deal of shot makes an attempt, main the group with 500 and a 96-attempt lead over second-place Thomas Chabot.
Crookshank will slot in for his second look of the season and first since Feb. 26. The 25-year-old winger was readily available for the loss to the Pens however was scratched and returned to the B-Sens on Monday earlier than being summoned once more on Tuesday.
He has 2-1–3 in 14 profession NHL video games, all with Ottawa over the past two seasons. The 2018 fifth-rounder additionally has 22-18–40 in 60 AHL video games this season, down from final 12 months’s tempo however nonetheless main the group in objectives.
