While the extent of the injury is not yet known, Sergei Gonchar left the Senators game against the Bruins in the second period with an undisclosed injury. That brings the number of healthy bodies on the Senators blue line to 5, with Marc Methot on the limp and Gonchar’s status for Saturday questionable, at least until this morning’s skate. Paul MacLean wasn’t too worried last night after the game, but the fact he missed more than a period in a tie game has to raise at least a yellow flag.
Mar 3, 2013; Uniondale, NY, USA; Ottawa Senators defenseman Sergei Gonchar (55) controls the puck against the New York Islanders during the first period of an NHL game at Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
So that being said, hypothecially, where do the Senators turn if both Gonchar and Methot cannot go on Saturday afternoon?
Well the first answer would be Mark Borowiecki. However, the rugged defenseman is, shockingly, just coming off an injury and hasn’t played in a couple of weeks although he might return to the Binghamton lineup this weekend. Tyler Eckford has limited NHL experience and is also injured.
Senators play by play guru Dean Brown was on the Team1200 yesterday and mentioned that it might be Cody Ceci who gets the call on an emergency basis should the need arise. Ceci and his Owen Sound Attack team is currently leading the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds 1-0 in their first round playoff series and the Attack would suffer a great loss should Ceci be called up. Ceci finished as the OHL’s second leading scorer among defensemen with 19 goals and 64 points in 69 games split between the Attack and the Ottawa 67’s.
It is an intriguing prospect to say the least to see Ceci in a Senators uniform this season. I don’t think he is ready for the NHL on a full time basis, but would likely provide an adequate fill-in for a game or two if the need should arise.
However, hopefully Gonchar is ready to go for Saturday and Methot has recovered enough to reassume his current role on the Sens blue line and the speculation can remain just that. Let Ceci have a deep run with the Attack, as they are one of the favorites to come out of the Western Conference and one of the teams capable of knocking off the Goliath London Knights. That experience would be better for him at this stage of his career than being tossed to the wolves in the NHL playoff stretch run.
But it is still fun to imagine.