Mike Lundin has had a start to his Senators tenure that he would like to forget. Locked out for more than 4 months, he was injured in the lockout playing in Europe and missed the first 10 games of the season. He then suited up for 7 of the next 12 games, not really making enough of an impression to be in the lineup every night.
Feb 16, 2013; Toronto, ON, Canada; Ottawa Senators defenseman Mike Lundin (10) skates away with the puck from behind his net against the Toronto Maple Leafs at the Air Canada Centre. The Maple Leafs beat the Senators 3-0. Mandatory Credit: Tom Szczerbowski-USA TODAY Sports
Then came the H Train that derailed Lundin’s season yet again. Harry Zolnierczyk‘s near decapitation of Lundin forced him out of the March 2 Flyers game with a concussion and he hasn’t been seen in game action since, missing the last 8 games.
Yesterday’s practice, coach Paul MacLean stated that Lundin and Dave Dziurzynski were available to play if they were needed. Well, it turns out that with the leg injury that forced Marc Methot out of Tuesday’s game with the Islanders is anywhere near as serious as it appeared, Lundin might be getting his chance on Thursday against the Bruins.
Lundin said himself when he joined the Senators that you know he is playing his game when you don’t notice him on the ice. Well, with only 6 healthy defensemen on the roster, he is going to get that chance and he will need to become noticeable in a good way if the Senators are going to continue to roll. Sergei Gonchar can only carry the blue line so long on his 38 year old back.
We will not know until later this morning as to the extent of Methot’s injury, and hopefully it will just be a day-to-day thing and he won’t miss much time. However, if it is worst case and Methot will be out for any length of time, Mike Lundin is going to have to shoulder some of the load.