Senators place defenseman Artem Zub on injured reserve, out 1-2 weeks

Ottawa Senators coach D.J. Smith told reporters that defenseman Artem Zub will be out for 1-2 weeks with an upper-body injury.

CapFriendly later confirmed that Zub has been placed on injured reserve.

Zub was banged up during Ottawa’s game against Minnesota on Thursday, with the blueline averaging a season-low 21:14. He has been averaging a career-high 21:59 this season while skating on the team’s top pairing with Thomas Chabot.

The 27-year-old defenseman has three points in seven games with Ottawa, his third year in the league.

The reliable defender is known more for his defensive zone prowess than his two-way game, allowing Chabot to have a bit more free roam. Chabot missed Ottawa’s practice on Friday but is expected to play against Florida on Saturday.

The Senators had a four-game win streak before the Wild took home a 4-2 victory. Zub will miss between three and seven games, which isn’t the end of the world. Nikita Zaitsev could be promoted higher in the lineup, or the Sens could look to a younger option like Jacob Bernard-Docker or Lassi Thomson to fill the role in the meantime.