Ottawa Senators forward Angus Crookshank out indefinitely with lower-body injury

One of the younger forwards on the Ottawa Senators roster is out for the foreseeable future.

On Thursday, head coach Jacques Martin announced that forward Angus Crookshank will be out of the lineup indefinitely with a lower-body injury.

Crookshank had to leave the Senators’ game on Tuesday night against the Minnesota Wild, and did not return.

Crookshank has played 13 games with the Sens this season, as he also spent a lot of time with their American Hockey League affiliate, the Belleville Senators. With Ottawa, the former University of New Hampshire product has scored two goals and an assist, though he has not registered a point over his last five games.

While it appears unlikely that Crookshank will play for the rest of the NHL season, his unknown status affects his chances of playing in the Calder Cup Playoffs. Currently, Belleville is last in the AHL’s North Division, but are only two points back of a playoff spot.

It is not clear what is ailing Crookshank. The 2018 fifth-round pick missed the entire 2021-22 season after suffering a knee injury during a rookie camp game.

Crookshank is in the final year of a three-year contract with an AAV of $838,333.

Martin also told the media on Thursday that Travis Hamonic is out of the lineup but not actively skating, and that he is hopeful that defenseman Thomas Chabot will return to the lineup this weekend.

Chabot suffered a lower-body injury against Buffalo Sabres last Wednesday, and has not played since. Though he is a highly talented blueliner, injuries have plagued the Sainte-Marie, Quebec native throughout his career. Chabot has only played over 70 games once, that coming in the 2019-20 season.

The Senators (33-37-4) are seventh in the Atlantic Division, tied with the Montreal Canadiens with 70 points apiece. Both are eight points ahead of the Columbus Blue Jackets for the worst record in the Eastern Conference.