Ottawa Senators Defenseman Out Four Weeks

Ottawa Senators head coach D.J. Smith told reporters on Saturday that defenseman Nikita Zaitsev is expected to miss the next four weeks due to a heel injury.

Senators defenseman Nikita Zaitsev expected to be out about 4 weeks with a heel injury, according to coach D.J. Smith

— Adam Kimelman (@NHLAdamK) December 18, 2021

It's been a hard year for the Senators when it comes to injuries, as Shane Pinto, Colin White, Erik Brannstrom and Josh Brown are all currently out, too. Losing Zaitsev does not help Ottawa out in the slightest, either. 

In 22 games this season, Zaitsev has a goal and an assist. There's no question that his offensive production has dropped off noticeably this season, as he had 17 points in 55 games last season. Yet, his playing time has also been lowered, so that is likely a playing a role in this. Still, even with all of this, he's still be a solid part of Ottawa's top six, so he will be missed.

With the Senators sporting a 9-17-1 record, they aren't currently fighting for a playoff spot. Yet, it still stings for them to lose another player from their roster. Here's to hoping Zaitsev has a speedy recovery and can get back on the ice soon.

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