SensNews Update

The Ottawa Senators are back on home ice after the completion of their two-game Sweden trip. The Sens are feeling good as they brought home four of the possible four points from across the Atlantic and have quietly won four of their last five games. The good news may also be continuing soon, as the team is getting close to having All-Star defenceman Thomas Chabot back in the lineup. Ridly Greig and Marc Kastelic have also had their progress updates, and could the Senators be heading to Germany in the next NHL Global Series? Check out all of these stories below in the SensNews update.

Thomas Chabot Injury Timeline

The Senators have been without one of their star defenders, Thomas Chabot, since their game against the New York Islanders where they placed Thomas Chabot on longterm injured reserve. Chabot was injured during that game after taking a puck off the hand, which fractured the bone. Although the Senators have played some winning hockey recently, the reintegration of Chabot will be a massive bonus to the team’s defensive unit.

The Senators got their first look at Thomas Chabot during the team’s Sweden trip, where he practiced with the team between games. Chabot was not a full participant, but he took the ice to work on his puck handling and shooting, which showed no discomfort. Chabot was back on the ice for the Senators skill session soon after the team returned to North America. He partook in some more offensive drills and looked to be back to his usual self.

Since the Senators placed Thomas Chabot on LTIR following his fractured hand injury, he is not eligible to return for the next pair of games. The first game Chabot will be available to play in will be against the Columbus Blue Jackets on December 1st. Chabot was asked in practice if he was expecting to be ready to go for this game against the Blue Jackets, and he sounded hopeful. In a discussion with Bruce Garrioch, Thomas Chabot mentioned the following.

“It’s around that time,” Chabot said. “That’s what I’m aiming for, and every day I skate, I feel better, so that shouldn’t be an issue.”

Bruce Garrrioch Ottawa Sun

If Chabot is ready to go for the game against Columbus on December 1st, Jacob Bernard-Docker will likely be reassigned to the Belleville Senators. This would be unfortunate for JBD, who has been rock solid since he was recalled to the NHL. Considering the recent stretch, he deserves a spot on the roster over Travis Hamonic, but he will still most likely be the odd man out.

Ridly Greig And Marc Kastelic Back Skating

The injuries to both Ridly Greig and Marc Kastelic had been quite quiet on the Sens’ front. We hadn’t received many updates on the two players until the Senator’s practice on Tuesday morning, where DJ Smith discussed Greig and Kastelic’s progress.

“Kastelic and Greig are back skating. Those ankle strains are tricky. When you see them back skating with us, you know they are getting close.”

VIA TSN 1200

As coach DJ Smith mentions, ankle strains are complex injuries to come back from in a short time frame. The last thing the team needs to do with a pair of NHL centremen is rush them back. Especially when you consider the frail nature of the Senator’s centre depth. Smith also mentioned that the players will be ‘close’ when we see them returning to skate with the rest of the NHL squad. Although not confirmed, this gives the impression that the players are still a ways away from returning to the lineup.

Sens Potentially Playing In Germany For The Next Global Series

Although the Sweden trip was a scheduling nightmare for Ottawa, the overall experience was incredible. The Senators came out of the trip with a pair of wins, including Tim Stutzle’s incredible overtime goal against the Detroit Red Wings. The trip could not have gone much better for the Sens, and rumours are flying around that they may be attending another global series over the next couple of seasons.

It has been heavily rumoured that the next global series will occur in Germany. The Germans have produced several young talents over the past couple of seasons, led by Leon Draisaitl, Moritz Seider, and Tim Stutzle. If the games are played in Germany, the league would want to include at least two of these players in the games.

Some have wondered if the Sens are likely to be left out of this series due to their involvement in the Sweden games. While I could see that argument, the same could be said about the Detroit Red Wings, who also partook in these games. And with that, I don’t see a scenario where these games are held in Germany without the likes of Stutzle and/or Seider in action.

We are still waiting for confirmation, which likely won’t come soon, but we have received some teasers about this from the Senators. Ian Mendes of the Athletic recently spoke on the Locked On Senators podcast, and he alluded to a conversation with Michael Andlauer about this subject. He didn’t want to give too much away, but it sounded like Andlauer believes this Germany trip is a genuine possibility.

Although going overseas is a worrying predicament during the regular season, I would be excited to see this situation unfold. The Senators have historically played very well overseas, and the idea of displaying Tim Stutzle in front of a German crowd again is exciting. Not to mention that each game helps grow the Senator’s brand internationally, and having a young German Superstar could leave a lasting impression on young German hockey fans. The more Senators fans, the better, and this trip would undoubtedly add to the already passionate fanbase.