SENSNEWS

The Ottawa Senators remain in last place in the Eastern Conference. However, they do have plenty of games in hand on lots of teams. With the Thomas Chabot injury sidelining him for the foreseeable future, should the Senators explore the defensive trade market to replace him in the short term?

And finally, Roby Jarventie has been a force to be reckoned with since his return to the Belleville Senators. Check out below for an update on all these topics!

Thomas Chabot Injury Update

After Thomas Chabot was sidelined for over a month with a fractured hand, he will once again be heading onto the LTIR. Chabot was injured midway through the game against the Seattle Kraken after falling awkwardly in the corner.

Chabot struggled to get off the ice and was in a lot of pain on the Senators bench. He ultimately returned to finish the game before being deemed too hurt to play against the New York Rangers.

Thomas Chabot would then seek the opinion of doctors who decided an MRI was necessary for the diagnosis. After receiving a few different opinions, it was announced that Thomas Chabot has an undisclosed leg injury that will keep him out for at least a month.

It looked like the injury was likely to Thomas Chabot’s knee, although nothing has been made official. There is a good chance that he sprained either his MCL or LCL, given the video of his injury.

With Chabot being listed on the LTIR, he will be ineligible to return until December 31st against the Buffalo Sabres. However, with the initial reports on his injury, it would not be a surprise if he is out until part way through January in the new year.

The Senators have already experienced life without their elite defenceman, and they will be tasked with doing so again as they battle to get back in the playoff picture.

Should The Senators Explore The Trade Market

With Thomas Chabot out, as mentioned, does it make sense for the Senators to explore the trade market for a defenceman? Some fans have thrown out the idea of targeting Chris Tanev of the Calgary Flames to bolster their right side on the blue line. Tanev is currently signed at $4.5M for the remainder of this season before becoming a UFA in the summer.

Someone like Tanev does not make a lot of sense, in my opinion. The price for Tanev is likely in the realm of a first-round pick or equivalent prospect without salary retention.

With the Senators being outside of the playoff picture, I don’t see the logic behind bringing in Tanev. A first-round pick should be non-negotiable with where the Senators currently stand. I don’t see the Flames accepting a deal for a prospect like Tyler Boucher.

Not to mention, Tanev’s salary would cripple all of the Senators cap space for this season. When Chabot returns, the Senators would be forced to trade out a package along the lines of Erik Brannstrom and Dominik Kubalik to stay under the cap. In a world without the salary cap, I would suggest targeting Tanev, but in the Senator’s current situation, it doesn’t make sense.

If a serviceable defender is available in the $1-$1.5M price range, I could get behind the idea of targeting them. This would be difficult to fit under the salary cap. Still, it could work if the Senators are willing to move on from Dominik Kubalik by the time Shane Pinto is ready to return.

Roby Jarventie Lighting Up The AHL

Prior to his call-up to the NHL, Roby Jarventie had a slow start with Belleville in the AHL. Jarventie had just one goal and two assists through his first six games with Belleville, and the team was struggling as a whole. Jarventie then spent nearly all of November in the NHL before being re-assigned to Belleville.

Roby Jarventie now has four goals and six assists in 11 games this season. Since his return to Belleville, he has been producing at over a point-per-game clip, with three goals and four assists in just five games.

It’s no coincidence that Belleville has turned their season around with the return of Jarventie, among other prospects like Mads Sogaard and Tyler Kleven.

My expectations for Jarventie this offseason was for him to be a dominant force in the AHL with Belleville. If he is able to continue on this pace for the majority of this season, he will set himself up for a roster spot in the NHL next season. With Dominik Kubalik likely not returning next season, Jarventie could find himself slotted in the top nine if all goes well.

With the Senators being a near-cap team, Jarventie will be a useful ELC to insert into the lineup. These are the kinds of players that bolster contending teams as great bang-for-your-buck options. Hopefully, Roby Jarventie and the Belleville Senators can continue playing solid hockey and find themselves in a playoff spot by the season’s end.