It’s a problem for every team.
Over the course of an 82 game season, injuries are always going to be a factor. Whether it’s a top player out of the line up or your supporting cast, injuries always play such a huge part in determining which teams make the playoffs and which don’t.
The good teams- the one’s with depth- are able to withstand a couple injuries here and there and not miss a beat. That’s exactly the challenge facing Dave Cameron and his Ottawa Senators in the early going.
On paper, losing Clarke MacArthur may not seem like a crippling loss. There’s plenty of depth in the forward ranks and players capable of filling the void.
The bigger concern with MacArthur’s injury is the impact it has on the balance up front. When MacArthur is out, Milan Michalek suddenly becomes a top six guy again. And when Michalek becomes a top six guy, there’s suddenly a hole to fill beside Pageau and Lazar.
For now, Cameron has elected to put Alex Chiasson in that role. He actually looked pretty good there against Nashville but there are legitimate concerns about the long-term effectiveness of that trio. Shane Prince, a natural left winger, seems to make a little more sense on the third line but Cameron has made it clear he plans to give Chiasson the first chance at filling the void.
Dave Cameron has shown a reluctance to juggle his lines but he’s going to have to get a little bit creative if MacArthur is going to be out for a significant period of time.
As Bryan Murray mentioned yesterday, the team is going to be extra careful with MacArthur’s concussion this time and make sure the team and more importantly, the player, aren’t rushing to get back.
MacArthur isn’t the only one dealing with a concussion.
Marc Methot, who was originally diagnosed with the flu, is apparently also dealing with a mild concussion. The good news there is he’s felt better the last couple days and even joined the team for practice this morning. He won’t play tomorrow night against the Devils but he could be available for Saturday night.
MacArthur’s injury hurts but any extended absence from Methot could be crushing for the Senators. As we saw during the first couple months of the season last year, Erik Karlsson desperately needs a healthy Methot to be at his best. The Ottawa blue line is pretty thin to begin with and really can’t afford to lose any of the top end guys for a prolonged stretch. Borowiecki filled Methot’s place admirably on Saturday against Nashville but that just isn’t a long term option.
Staying healthy is a key ingredient for success in today’s NHL so obviously the Senators are hoping that early injuries to Clarke MacArthur and Marc Methot are not a sign of things to come.
Here’s how Dave Cameron has his team lined up at practice today:
Hoffman-Turris-Stone
Michalek-Zibanejad-Ryan
Chiasson-Pageau-Lazar
Prince-Smith-Neil
Borowiecki-Karlsson
Wiercioch-Ceci
Cowen-Wideman
Methot
