Thomas Chabot is expected to be out for at least four weeks and will likely be placed on long-term injured reserve by the Ottawa Senators, coach D.J. Smith said.
The defenseman missed a second consecutive game with a lower-body injury Thursday when the Senators lost 4-3 to the Toronto Maple Leafs. Chabot was injured during a 2-0 win against the Seattle Kraken on Dec. 2.
"He's such a competitor and he's so tough,” Smith said after the game Thursday. “This is the second time this year he has an injury and finishes the game and ends up with an injury that puts him out four weeks. I can't say enough [about] how tough he is, but also how much he helps us in the locker room. He's been around and he helps us break the puck out, he helps our power play, helps a lot of things. So, it's a big hole for us, so we need someone to step up in that absence."
By being placed on long-term injured reserve, Chabot would be out for a minimum of 24 days and 10 games.
Chabot returned to the lineup Dec. 1 in a 4-2 loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets after missing the previous 10 with a broken hand.
“There's nothing worse than sitting upstairs and watching the guys go out there and battle,” Chabot said Nov. 30. “You just want to be out there with them.”
Chabot has four assists in nine games this season and is averaging an Ottawa-high 24:23 of ice time per game.
The Senators (10-11-0), who are last in the Atlantic Division, next play Saturday at the Detroit Red Wings (7 p.m. ET; BSDET, TVAS2, CITY).
NHL.com independent correspondent Callum Fraser contributed to this report
