Senators’ Thomas Chabot out 4-6 weeks with fractured hand

Ottawa Senators’ defenseman Thomas Chabot suffered a fracture in his hand and will be out four-to-six weeks, according to head coach D.J. Smith.

Smith said Chabot injured his hand on a blocked shot in Thursday night’s game vs. the New York Islanders.

According to CapFriendly, because Chabot will be out for at least four weeks, the Senators are able to place the 26-year-old and his $8 million cap hit on long-term injured reserve (LTIR).

The Senators are close to the cap ceiling, so they will benefit from a decent capture if and when they place him on LTIR.

The team is already without defensemen Erik Brannstrom and Artem Zub.

Brannstrom left Thursday’s game on a stretcher after falling awkwardly following a hit by Islanders’ forward Cal Clutterbuck.

As for Zub, he’s been out for over a week with an upper-body injury suffered in the Oct. 18 game vs. the Washington Capitals.

Chabot has led the Senators in average ice-time this season with 24:19. He had zero goals and three assists through seven games.

Last season with the Senators, Chabot scored 11 goals and 30 assists for 41 points in 68 games, logging in an average ice-time of 24:58. Through eight seasons with Ottawa, Chabot has recorded 53 goals and 179 assists for 232 points in 388 career games.

Drafted 18th overall in the 2015 NHL Entry Draft, Chabot spent four seasons in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League with the Saint John Sea Dogs. In 202 career games in the QMJHL, Chabot scored 34 goals and 119 assists for 153 points.

Chabot twice represented Canada at the World Junior Championship in 2016 and 2017, earning a silver medal in 2017. Through both tournaments, he scored four goals and nine assists for 13 points in 12 games.