Ottawa Senators’ Tim Stützle to miss “at least a week” with shoulder injury

The Ottawa Senators will be without center Tim Stützle for “at least a week” while he recovers from a shoulder injury, head coach D.J. Smith told reporters Wednesday morning.

Stützle, 20, suffered the injury after playing just 2:59 in Monday’s game against the Anaheim Ducks. The German forward collided awkwardly with Ducks winger Brett Leason in the corner and left the game favoring his arm.

According to Smith, Stützle did not suffer any structural damage to his shoulder. The Athletic‘s Ian Mendes said the injury is currently listed as a contusion.

Here’s the Stützle injury. Immediate flashback to the Norris and Pinto shoulder injuries. pic.twitter.com/WauOsLTmaP

— Everyday Sens (@EverydaySens) December 13, 2022

The Senators originally selected Stützle in the first round (No. 3 overall) of the 2020 NHL Draft. He immediately made the jump to the NHL with the Senators in 2020–21 and posted his first 20-goal season the following year.

In 28 games with the Senators to start the 2022–23 campaign, Stützle has 10 goals and 27 points. Back in September, the Senators re-signed Stützle to an eight-year contract extension worth $8.35 million per season.

The Senators currently rank last in the NHL’s Atlantic Division with a 12–14–2 record and 26 points through 28 games this season. They haven’t qualified for the Stanley Cup Playoffs since 2017, when they reached Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Final.

Stützle is one of many Senators players currently sidelined, joining Josh Norris, Artem Zub, Tyler Motte, Mathieu Joseph, and Jacob Bernard-Docker on the team’s injury list.

The Senators will return to action on Wednesday evening when they host the Montreal Canadiens at the Canadian Tire Centre in Kanata.