Senators' Chychrun out 'a couple weeks' with lower-body injury
Ottawa Senators head coach D.J. Smith announced defenseman Jakob Chychrun is expected to miss "a couple weeks" with a lower-body injury, according to NHL.com's Mike Morreale.
Chychrun exited in the final frame of the Senators' 7-2 victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning on Thursday after taking an awkward hit into the boards from forward Mikey Eyssimont.
Jakob Chychrun heads down the tunnel after this hit. #Sens down a D for now. #GoSensGo pic.twitter.com/iMohfMxidj
— Pesky Sickos (@PeskySickos) March 24, 2023
Lightning defenseman Victor Hedman also slew-footed Chychrun in the second period.
Chychrun assisted on Derick Brassard's eventual game-winner and logged just over 18 minutes of ice time in the victory.
After the game, Smith attributed Chychrun's exit to cramping and fatigue, adding that the rearguard underwent a root canal earlier in the day and hadn't slept well.
Smith said Friday that the 24-year-old was doubtful for Saturday's clash with the New Jersey Devils and suspected that the incident with Eyssimont may have caused the injury, per TSN's Chris Stevenson.
The Senators acquired Chychrun from the Arizona Coyotes prior to the March 3 trade deadline in exchange for three picks, including a conditional first-rounder in 2023.
He put up two goals and three assists in 12 games as a Senator while averaging 21 minutes per contest.
Chychrun has a lengthy injury history. He was sidelined with a lower-body injury at the 2022 trade deadline and forced to sit out the final 24 games of the campaign, while his 2022-23 season debut was delayed until Nov. 21 because of a wrist issue.
Coyotes general manager Bill Armstrong defended the return he bagged for Chychrun earlier this month, citing the D-man's injury record and "terrible" 2021-22 season.
Smith also announced Saturday that forward Ridly Greig will miss the remainder of the regular season with a sternum injury. Greig, 20, put up six points in 16 games this campaign.
Entering Saturday's slate, the Senators were five points out of the second wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference with a record of 35-32-5. Ottawa has 10 games remaining on its regular-season schedule, which wraps up on April 13.