The Ottawa Senators took a serious hit to their forward depth in their first pre-season game Monday night. After blocking a shot late in the game Colin White was forced to leave the ice. It has now come out that he broke his wrist.
After breaking his left wrist, Colin White will now be out six to eight weeks. This is not only a devastating blow to the Ottawa Senators, but a tremendous blow to White himself. This was the year that White was supposed to get his shot as an NHL regular. However, with him likely not returning until late November or early December he might have to wait for that shot.
Difficulty Returning
Since White was not an established NHL player yet it’s unlikely that when he returns he immediately starts with the Sens. He will be sent to Belleville to prepare himself. In order to get called up he will have to perform well and there will have to be someone on the Sens that is under-performing. If he falters when he gets back than he may have to wait until next season to get another shot.
Sens’ Forward Depth
This is a tremendous blow to the Sens’ forward depth. With Brassard out there was a decent chance that White would start the season in the Sens’ top six. Now with Brassard, MacArthur, and White out the Sens will need some young players to step up.
Ryan Dzingel is a name that will be looked at to play more minutes early in the season. He was in a spot where he may have been the team’s 13th forward, but now he may be asked to play a bigger role. This will be a chance for Dzingel to prove that last season wasn’t a fluke.
Younger players such as Logan Brown may get a chance to make the NHL earlier than expected. Brown has performed well so far in his pre-season and rookie tournament games. If he continues these performances than he could very well find himself with the Ottawa Senators earlier than planned.
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A Light At The End Of The Tunnel
As devastating as this news is that White is injured it’s not the end of the world. The Sens have had some young players show that they could play if need be. As for White, he’s still very young and will heal quickly. This isn’t an injury that will set him so far back that he never makes the team. He’ll be with the Ottawa Senators soon enough.