Chabot sidelined for third time this season
Defenceman limped out of loss to Ducks on Monday night with knee trouble
The Ottawa Senators are limping toward the finish line of this disastrous season.
As the Senators prepared to face the Los Angeles Kings on Thursday night at the Crypto. com Arena, the club learned it will be without top defenceman Thomas Chabot after he suffered a lower body injury late in the third period of the club's 2-1 loss to the Anaheim Ducks on Monday.
Assessed a holding penalty against Anaheim's Frank Vatrano with only 41 seconds left in the game, the TSN broadcast showed him holding his right knee and in serious discomfort in the penalty box. Chabot left the ice without putting any weight on his right leg and limped down the hall.
This is the third time this season that Chabot will be out because of injury. The hope is this won't be long, but he missed 10 games with a hand injury he suffered Oct. 28 and then was out another month when he suffered a leg injury only two games after returning Dec. 5.
Chabot was a game-time decision in Philadelphia on Saturday to start the road trip, but did suit up. The Senators recalled defenceman Maxence Guenette from their American Hockey League affiliate in Belleville on Thursday morning and also brought up winger Jiri Smejkal.
That's because forward Matthew Highmore, called up Wednesday just in case the club made a deal, also left the loss to the Ducks after picking up an assist. He didn't face the Kings either, which meant both players were forced to suit up.
TARASENKO ARRIVES IN FLORIDA
Vladimir Tarasenko wasted no time making himself at home in his new home.
Dealt to the Florida Panthers on Wednesday by the Senators for two draft picks, Tarasenko was woken by a phone call from general manager Steve Staios and the 32-year-old winger jumped on the first flight out of Anaheim and returned to his home near Fort Lauderdale.
He was on the ice with the Panthers at their practice facility Thursday morning and made his debut against the Philadelphia Flyers. He skated on the left side of Aleksander Barkov and Sam Reinhart on Florida's top line.
Tarasenko, who signed a oneyear, Us$5-million deal with the Senators in the summer, confirmed that with a full no-trade clause the Panthers were his top choice.
The Panthers were his first option to wave to move before the deadline because he makes his home in Weston, a Fort Lauderdale suburb. His wife, and the couple's two children, didn't accompany him to Ottawa this season and his No. 1 goal was to be closer to them.
“This was the only place I was thinking about,” Tarasenko said.
He skates in the area in the summer as well.
“I feel this team has a good chance to win a Stanley Cup,” Tarasenko said. “My family is here too, so when we looked at the options we felt that this would be best for us”
The Panthers were thrilled to get Tarasenko.
“This guy can score goals, but I just want him to come in and play with the rest of them,” said Florida coach Paul Maurice.
“Our leading scorer is going to backcheck just as hard as the guy who's the lowest scorer. Just come in and play with the rest of them.
“If you score a bunch, good for you. If you don't and we're winning, good for us and everyone is happy. He can shoot the puck. He can pass the puck. What I want to do is get him to a comfort level where he's not thinking about what I want, he's doing what he wants.”
Tarasenko knows what it takes to get to the next level. He's been there and done that. He won a Stanley Cup with the St. Louis Blues in 2019 and played a key role.
He finished with 11 goals and 17 points in 26 playoff games with the Blues that spring and can help provide offence for Florida.
“Usually when you go deep, you know what it takes,” Tarasenko said. “Not everybody just needs to work hard, everybody needs to do their job and be happy for the other guys.”
The adjustment period is made easier by the fact Tarasenko is comfortable in his new surroundings.
“It's been very good so far. Everybody is very friendly and helpful. I think the biggest part is that my family is already here. That makes it way easier,” he said.
THE LAST WORDS
The Senators had goaltender Joonas Korpisalo back after he missed two starts on the weekend with the flu. He rejoined the club in California late Monday but didn't dress against the Ducks. Korpisalo was scheduled to face his former Kings teammates Thursday so Mads Sogaard was sent back to Belleville. Former Ottawa goalie Cam Talbot was tabbed to be in net for Los Angeles ... The Senators were 19 points out of the final wild card spot in the East with 22 games left before facing the Kings, nowhere close to expectations when the season began.