Ottawa Senators: Leave Thomas Chabot on the IR

The season is already lost for the Ottawa Senators, there’s no need to rush their star defenseman back from injury.

The already shallow lineup of the Ottawa Senators was dealt a severe blow when Thomas Chabot suffered a broken toe after blocking a shot against the Philadelphia Flyers on March 11th.

Let’s just disregard how painful that must have been.

Marc Crawford has said he is hopeful that Chabot will return before the end of the season. But really, it would be in the best interests of everyone involved to keep Chabot on the IR.

Don’t Risk It

Chabot was having a breakout season with the Senators before his injury. He had recorded 49 points in 62 games, compared to 25 points in 63 games last year. He had been carrying the defensive load this season too, averaging 24:14 TOI per game. At 22, Chabot has been thrown into the role that Erik Karlsson was in for several years.

Chabot still has one year left on his ELC, so he would want to avoid any long-term injuries that could have an effect on his contract season. Also, he has to be exhausted. NHL players know what they’re getting into, and Chabot may have younger legs than other players with over 24 TOI per game, but that’s still a lot to put on a player, and a rest is probably warranted.

As for the Ottawa Senators, they are in the final stretch of what could be their worst 82-game season since 1995-96. A win or two may change that, but what would be the point in bringing Chabot back when he could recharge his batteries and heal up completely for the 2019-20 season.

Not only that, but the Sens rested Matt Duchene, Mark Stone and Ryan Dzingel to avoid the risk of them being injured before they were traded. Why wouldn’t they do the same thing to the leader of their defense? Bringing Chabot back to the lineup isn’t going to sell more tickets or change fan outlook on the team, so why risk wearing Chabot out before the prime of his career?

Save It For 2019-20

If they wanted to keep Chabot fresh for next season, the Ottawa Senators should keep him on the IR.

The 2019-20 season is going to be a long one, especially for Chabot if he continues to play over 24 TOI per game. The Sens should avoid the potential of an injury by shutting Chabot down for the rest of the season.