Despite managing an early-season injury crisis on their blue line, the red-hot Ottawa Senators sit at 5-1-0 as they prepare to face the St. Louis Blues. Head coach Travis Green confirmed that while defencemen Artem Zub and Jake Sanderson remain sidelined for Tuesday’s matchup, both players are close to returning within the next couple of days.
Fantasy & Market Impact
- Goaltending Adjustments: Linus Ullmark gets the night off against the Blues, handing backup Sam Ersson his first home start of the season.
Injury Roster Shuffling Ahead of St. Louis Matchup
The Senators’ defensive corps faces a notable test of its depth as the team navigates multiple physical setbacks. Artem Zub has yet to feature this season while continuing his recovery from a knee injury sustained during last year’s post-season. Meanwhile, Jake Sanderson hit the shelf after re-aggravating a lower-body injury during Ottawa’s season opener.
Sam Ersson starts versus St. Louis tonight. Jorian Donovan plays tonight. Nikolas Matinpalo out with an upper body injury tonight. Travis Green unsure as to how long he’ll be out. Could miss Thursday vs. NYI. Artem Zub and Jake Sanderson are still not ready yet.
— https://x.com/jkamckenzie/status/2110122024290992564
Compounding matters, Nikolas Matinpalo joins them on the injury report after absorbing a heavy hit from New Jersey Devils forward Anthony Mantha during Monday’s action. Mantha received a five-minute major for boarding on the play. Green indicated that Matinpalo could potentially clear protocol and return as early as Thursday against the New York Islanders.
Defensive Lineup and Goaltending Rotation
To patch the immediate hole on the roster, Jorian Donovan draws into the active lineup against St. Louis. Between the pipes, the coaching staff opted for a scheduled rest night for Linus Ullmark. Backup goaltender Sam Ersson steps in to make his first home start of the campaign, tasked with preserving the team’s strong early momentum against a physical Blues squad.
| Player | Injury Status | Timeline / Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Artem Zub | Knee (from last post-season) | “Close” to returning in the next couple of days |
| Jake Sanderson | Lower-body (re-aggravated in opener) | Expected back in the next couple of days |
| Nikolas Matinpalo | Upper-body (boarding major by Anthony Mantha) | Out vs. Blues; possible return Thursday vs. Islanders |
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