The Ottawa Senators received a significant boost to their defensive corps as veteran blueliner Thomas Chabot returned to action against the San Jose Sharks on Saturday night at SAP Center.
Return From Injury
Thomas Chabot, who serves as an alternate captain for the Senators, had been sidelined for three games due to an upper-body core muscle injury. The defenceman originally sustained the ailment during the first period of Ottawa's November 11 contest against the Dallas Stars.
The original medical timeline suggested Chabot would need at least two weeks to recover, but his progress accelerated as he began feeling better ahead of schedule. Chabot resumed skating before the team departed for California on Monday and participated fully in practice Wednesday in Anaheim.
Road Trip Roster Moves
Chabot took part in an optional skate in San Jose on Friday alongside fellow defenceman Nikolas Matinpalo, who had left Thursday's 3-2 victory over the Anaheim Ducks with an unspecified issue during the third period. Despite practicing, Matinpalo was ultimately a healthy scratch for the Sharks game.
With Chabot's return, the Senators made several roster adjustments on Saturday. The team sent defenceman Lassi Thomson back to their American Hockey League affiliate in Belleville. Thomson had been serving as the club's seventh defenceman during the current road trip.
Additional Player Updates
The Senators also addressed another injury situation involving winger Olle Lycksell, who had been placed in concussion protocol and missed five consecutive games. Lycksell cleared waivers at 2 p.m. on Saturday and was subsequently assigned to Belleville.
For his return game, Chabot was expected to be paired with Nick Jensen against the Sharks, providing Ottawa with experienced defensive stability as they continued their California road trip.
