Ottawa Senators: Aaron Dell’s Dirty Play Sidelines Batherson with Ankle Injury
A brutal, senseless hit by Sabres goaltender Aaron Dell has put Drake Batherson on the injured list, resulting in the 4th round pick missing his first NHL all-star game
Following a stretch of 3 Senators‘ goals in less than 3 minutes at the end of the opening frame, Aaron Dell decided to direct his anger at star forward Drake Batherson in an extremely vulnerable position.
Drake Batherson was forced to leave the game after being hit by Aaron Dell. pic.twitter.com/t6T66c6gdJ
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) January 26, 2022
Dell’s intentions are clear here, you can see him line up Batherson as he neared the puck carrier, and then the forearm shimmy sent the obviously unexpecting all-star forward awkwardly into the boards. It’s unfortunate because the play is completely unnecessary and was completely avoidable, something that obviously frustrated the Senators, especially head coach D.J. Smith. Smith showed his disdain for Dell in the post-game presser:
“Kid has a chance to go to his first All-Star game, it’s a bad play by the goalie. He’s done it before. We’ve seen all the replays. Any other player in the game that does that, you know, you have to go out and face the music. Certainly the league will look at whatever. But it’s a bad play.”
This hasn’t been the first time that Dell has done this, in two prior incidents he has checked an unsuspecting opposing player, even one on former-Senator Mark Stone that was eerily similar to the one on Batherson.
Goaltender Aaron Dell has a history of getting physically involved in a game 👀
— Tim and Friends (@timandfriends) January 26, 2022
Should skaters be allowed to body-check goalies outside the crease? 🤔 pic.twitter.com/1wcbTFS5Z7
This is an unfortunate blow on so many levels, the Nova Scotia native was enjoying a breakout season with 34 points in 31 games and obviously a spot in the NHL All-Star Game. Now a resurgent Senators squad is down arguably their best player for the foreseeable future, while also missing Connor Brown on what was already a thin group, deprived for offence. In regards to the official prognosis, t’s believed that the injury suffered by Batherson was a high ankle sprain, but the team won’t know the full extent of the injury until the swelling comes down.
Sources say Drake Batherson has a high ankle sprain. Once the swelling goes down the club will have a better idea on the time line. One way or another it’s long-term and sprains can be worse than a break. #Sens
— Bruce Garrioch (@SunGarrioch) January 26, 2022
The high-ankle sprain will likely sideline Batherson for 6 to 8 weeks, the injury is much worse than a regular sprain and will require a longer rehabilitation period.
Dell has had an atrocious year by all accounts and was beaten out by 41-year-old former-Senators goaltender Craig Anderson and Dustin Tokarski, and has been probably the 6th best goalie in the organization this year. The 32-year-old journeyman netminder holds a save percentage of 0.893 save percentage and a 4.04 goals-against average, both poor marks and likely won’t get Dell many more looks at the NHL level. Just a cowardly move by a goaltender who will most likely be remembered for this dirty play.
The Sabres goaltender will have a hearing today with the department of player safety, in regards to his “interference” on Drake Batherson, the suspension will likely carry a sentence of multiple games.