The Ottawa Senators will be without defenseman Jake Sanderson for Saturday’s critical playoff matchup against the Carolina Hurricanes after he suffered a concussion from a controversial hit.
Head coach Travis Green provided an update on Sanderson’s condition Friday, stating that the player is “not doing well.” The announcement comes as Ottawa faces elimination, trailing Carolina 3-0 in their Eastern Conference first-round playoff series.
The 23-year-old defenseman was injured during the second period of Thursday’s 2-1 defeat when Carolina’s Taylor Hall delivered a high hit that knocked off Sanderson’s helmet. Officials assessed Hall a two-minute minor penalty for the contact.
Despite the impact, Sanderson managed to complete two additional shifts before leaving the contest.
Green expressed frustration with the officiating following Thursday’s game, questioning the penalty assessment. “I just don’t understand how there’s not a five-minute major called on the hit to the head,” Green said after the game. “It’s a blatant hit to the head, the kind of hits you don’t want to see.”
Sanderson has contributed two assists through the first three games of the playoff series. During the regular season, he posted career-high numbers with 54 points, including 14 goals and 40 assists, along with a plus-16 rating across 67 games.
The young defenseman is in his fourth season with Ottawa after being selected fifth overall in the 2020 NHL Draft.
