The Ottawa Senators face a significant setback as their standout defenseman Jake Sanderson will miss time week-to-week due to an upper body injury sustained during Saturday’s 7-4 victory over the Seattle Kraken. With only 20 games remaining in the season, this injury raises concerns about the team’s playoff prospects and their strategy moving forward.
Why Jake Sanderson Is Vital for Ottawa
Jake Sanderson is undeniably a cornerstone of the Senators’ defense, contributing heavily both offensively and defensively. In 62 games this season, he accumulated 11 goals and totaled 48 points, averaging nearly 25 minutes of ice time per game as the leading defenseman in all these categories.
His influence extends beyond basic stats. Sanderson logged over 200 minutes on the power play, nearly double the time of the next defenseman, Thomas Chabot. On the penalty kill, he recorded more than 180 minutes, slightly edging out Zachary Zub, while also leading in overtime defensive minutes with over 25.
Last season, Sanderson joined an elite group by becoming the fifth defenseman in Senators history to surpass 50 points. He was on pace to reach 60 points this season, a feat only two other Senators defensemen have achieved.
Across the entire NHL, Sanderson ranks tied for 12th in goals, 10th in assists and points, and seventh in average ice time per game among defensemen. His ability to handle the team’s number one offensive defenseman role while also serving as a shutdown defender alongside Zub highlights his versatility and importance.
Adjusting the Defensive Lineup Without Sanderson
The Senators will rely on Thomas Chabot to take on the primary defense role in Sanderson’s absence. Chabot, familiar with being the team’s top defenseman, is expected to lead the power play and likely see his ice time increase by two to three minutes per game.
Following that, Lassi Kleven is anticipated to step into the second-pair left-side position. Kleven has struggled in this role previously when Chabot was sidelined, but keeping his pairing with Nick Spence, a partnership where there’s existing comfort, might ease his transition.
Nikolas Matinpalo is expected to return to the lineup as part of the bottom defensive pairing, where he may be required to play on his off side. Last season, Matinpalo established himself late in the year when coach Travis Green favored him over veteran Travis Hamonic, showing promising performance. This return marks a chance for Matinpalo to reinforce his value to the team.
Overall, the Senators’ defense shifts from a high-quality unit with Sanderson to a more average, possibly below-average group without him. The responsibility now falls on veterans like Chabot and emerging players like Kleven to elevate their performances to compensate for this loss.
What This Could Mean Moving Forward
The timeline for Sanderson’s return remains unclear, placing the Senators in a challenging position. Historically, the team has shown resilience in overcoming injuries to key players. For example, in the 2012-13 shortened season, losses to stars Jason Spezza and Erik Karlsson early on motivated the team to secure a playoff spot.
Similarly, the remarkable 2014-15 stretch known as the “Hamburglar” run saw Andrew Hammond take over as goaltender while Craig Anderson and Robin Lehner were injured, delivering an impressive 20-1-2 record that propelled Ottawa toward the postseason.
In 2016-17, despite Craig Anderson’s extended absence for personal reasons, the Senators maintained competitive form by embracing Guy Boucher’s defensive system, with Mike Condon setting a franchise record by starting 27 consecutive games in goal.
More recently this season, the Senators managed 11 wins, 5 losses, and 4 overtime defeats in 20 games without captain Brady Tkachuk, matching the seventh-best point percentage league-wide during that span. If they can replicate this level of performance over the remaining 20 games, they would finish with 97 points, identical to last season’s total. Whether 97 points will be enough to ensure a playoff berth this year remains an open question.
