On Friday morning, Ottawa Senators General Manager Pierre Dorion announced in a press conference that forward Clarke MacArthur will not be returning to action for the 2016-17 season. Team doctors and medical staff advised the team and MacArthur that it would be wise for him to sit out and that if he was to play it could risk his future in hockey.
Clarke MacArthur will not play this year, GM Pierre Dorion announces. #Sens
— Bruce Garrioch (@SunGarrioch) January 20, 2017
MacArthur suffered a concussion back during pre-season camp when during a inner-squad scrimmage, teammate Patrick Sieloff collided with MacArthur, knocking him down to the ice. The hit was seen as unnecessary and aggravated teammates, including Bobby Ryan, whom proceeded to go after and jump Sieloff. MacArthur was originally placed on injured reserve and was scheduled to return around this time-late January, however this is no longer the case. MacArthur has actually been skating and practicing with the team dating back to a couple of weeks ago. But due to his history of concussions and head injuries, he will be sidelined for the best. MacArthur has suffered four concussion scares since February of 2015.
Dorion in an interview with the Ottawa Citizen:
“After many discussions with many doctors we have decided that Clarke MacArthur will not play this year, Clarke is devastated by this news. He felt he didn’t have any symptoms. In the long-term in this process, we always said that the doctors would decide if Clarke was going to play. This came to us as a bit of shock. First, and foremost, Clarke’s health is the most important thing. We have a responsibility as an organization, as a hockey team, as a league, we follow protocols and when numerous doctors indicate he shouldn’t play hockey this year, we’re just going to follow that protocol.”
Dorion would go on to add in the press conference that MacArthur was “devastated” that he would not be able to return this season. MacArthur is a key piece to the Senators offense and his absence this year is unfortunate.
Dorion says Clarke MacArthur is devastated that doctors will not clear him to play.
— Dean Brown (@PxPOttawa) January 20, 2017
The 31-year old Lloydminster, Alberta native has not played a game since Oct. 14 and has only played in a total of four games this season. Last season, he skated in 62 games and tallied 16 goals and 36 total points. In his career, MacArthur has scored 304 points (133 goals, 171 assists) in 548 games played. He was drafted by the Buffalo Sabres 75th overall in the 2003 NHL Entry Draft.
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