The Ottawa Senators have been hit with more bad news. Centre Jean-Gabriel Pageau suffered an Achilles’ tendon injury during team fitness testing at the start of training camp. He underwent surgery last night and is expected to be out for at least six months. Pageau was expected to open the season as the Senators second line centre.
Medical update: #Sens centre Jean-Gabriel Pageau suffered a torn achilles tendon in his right leg during training yesterday. Surgery was performed last night to repair the injury and he is expected to miss a minimum of six months.
— Sens communications (@Media_Sens) September 14, 2018
Ottawa Senators Lose Jean-Gabriel Pageau for at least Six Months
Last season, Pageau had 14 goals and 15 assists for 29 points in 78 games. In 2016-17 he put up 12-goals and 21 assists for 33 points. The best statistical season of his career came in 2015-16. He had 19 goals and 43 points in 82 games for the Senators. He’s played nearly a full season three years in a row and has shown to be very durable.
Possession wise, he was at 46.5 percent Corsi last season, with a relative Corsi of -1.6. It was like that last season as well but his production offsets the possession a bit. His role as a defensive centre, with tough competition and zone starts should also be taken into account. He also can play on the penalty kill for the team as he’s a fast skater and is a threat to score shorthanded.
As for the playoffs and his production, he’s been to the playoffs three times and in two of those runs, he did great. 2017 was the best playoff run of his career. In 19 playoff games that season, he had eight goals and ten points for the Senators, including the four-goal game against the New York Rangers in the second round. In 2012-2013, he had four goals and six points in ten playoff games.
Main Photo: OTTAWA, ON – MAY 23: Jean-Gabriel Pageau #44 of the Ottawa Senators skates against the Pittsburgh Penguins in Game Six of the Eastern Conference Final during the 2017 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at Canadian Tire Centre on May 23, 2017 in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Jana Chytilova/Freestyle Photography/Getty Images)
