Josh Brown Added To COVID Protocol
The Ottawa Senators have placed a sixth player in the COVID protocol, adding Josh Brown to it this morning. He joins Victor Mete, Austin Watson, Nick Holden, Connor Brown, and Dylan Gambrell as players unavailable to the Senators currently, along with assistant coach Jack Capuano who is also in the protocol.
Importantly, the team has not revealed whether Brown tested positive for coronavirus or how long he will be held out of the lineup. He did play last night, logging more than 15 minutes in a loss to the Boston Bruins. Through 12 games for the team this season he has yet to score a point.
Hopefully, the parade to the protocol ends there for the Senators, though it has obviously already done some damage to their season chances. Ottawa has lost five in a row now and find themselves tied with the Montreal Canadiens for last place in the Atlantic Division. Losing players like Brown is especially impactful, given his important position on the roster. All the team can do right now is try to get through this stretch without any lingering health issues.
The Senators are scheduled to take on the Los Angeles Kings tomorrow night, before welcoming in the Pittsburgh Penguins and Calgary Flames for a back-to-back over the weekend.
Senators Notes: Chabot, Brown, Murray, Prospects
Senators defenseman Thomas Chabot left Monday’s game against Winnipeg due to an upper-body injury. Head coach D.J. Smith told reporters today, including Ian Mendes of The Athletic (Twitter link) that it’s unlikely that Chabot will return this season. While the injury isn’t believed to be serious, Ottawa has been eliminated from playoff contention so there isn’t a lot to play for. Chabot had been weighing the idea of playing at the upcoming World Championships but his presence there may be in jeopardy.
Smith also indicated that blueliner Josh Brown is likely to miss the final four games as well due to an undisclosed injury. His first season with the Senators will end on a quiet note as the former Florida defender had just a single assist along with 30 PIMS in 26 games this season.
More from Ottawa:
- While Matt Murray was expected to be their goalie of the future when they acquired him from Pittsburgh last summer, Postmedia’s Ken Warren suggests that at this point, it’s unlikely that he will be protected from Seattle in expansion this summer. With both Filip Gustavsson and Joey Daccord also requiring protection and showing some promise in limited action this season, he posits that one of them will be held back from the Kraken with the expectation that Murray’s deal – which carries a $6.25MM AAV through 2023-24 – will be too expensive for them to willingly take on.
- Prospects Ridly Greig and Roby Jarventie are currently quarantining in Belleville and will see some AHL action down the stretch, notes Postmedia’s Bruce Garrioch. Greig, a first-round pick last year, got a brief look in the minors at the start of the season before having to return to the WHL where he had 10 goals and 22 assists in 21 games with Brandon. As for Jarventie, the 33rd pick last year recently signed his entry-level deal and had 14 goals and 11 assists in 48 games with Ilves of the SM-liiga this season.