Senators’ Chabot to return after eight-game absence
A massive surprise for a team right in the middle of the playoff race.
The Ottawa Senators announced that defenseman Thomas Chabot will be in the lineup on Thursday night when the team takes on the two-time defending Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers.
17 days after suffering a broken arm Chabby is good to go tonight 👊
Chabot has missed the last eight games due to a broken forearm that he suffered late last month. What’s shocking is how quickly he is able to return to action. The original prognosis was that the 29-year-old would miss four to eight weeks, effectively ending his regular season while recovering from the ailment. However, Chabot is ready to help his team grab crucial points just 17 days after getting hurt.
The incident that led to Chabot’s absence came on March 23 against the New York Rangers. The Quebec native took a slash from Rangers captain J.T. Miller in the first period of the game. The act led to Chabot undergoing surgery to repair the broken bone.
His return could have a massive impact on the Sens, a team in a dogfight for the last Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference. Ottawa has been decent with Chabot out of action, going 4-3-1 over the eight contests, but has grabbed massive wins earlier in the week, beating the Carolina Hurricanes and Tampa Bay Lightning as part of the team’s four-game homestand. The Senators also scored six goals in each game, showing they still have the firepower to keep up with the best in the league.
In 55 games this year, Chabot has scored seven goals and 24 assists for 31 points. He has a plus/minus of +6 while averaging 22:34 of ice time.
The Senators (41-27-12) come into Thursday fifth in the Atlantic Division, two points ahead of the Columbus Blue Jackets for the last Wild Card spot.