The media got injury updates on Ottawa Senators centreman Colin White and left-winger Ryan Dzingel. Senators head coach D.J. Smith said White will be out, but not long term. Dzingel will be a game-time decision as both left with lower-body injuries sustained during Wednesday’s game against the Edmonton Oilers.
Smith: Dzingel will be a game time decision, White is out. but not long termhttps://t.co/iAg1dagsVx
— TSN 1200 (@TSN1200) March 11, 2021
Colin White and Ryan Dzingel Injured
In the second period of Wednesday’s game, White went behind the Oilers net to challenge defenceman William Lagesson for the puck. White slipped and crashed the boards while nearly doing the splits. White left the game and didn’t return. The video is below.
Bad to worse… An absolutely NASTY spill from White here. 0 pressure put on his leg. #Sens pic.twitter.com/GOThrf2vY5
— Alex Metzger (@nhlsensandstuff) March 11, 2021
White was having a bounceback season in Ottawa. In 24 games, White has seven goals, six assists for 12 points. Over a full season (including the four games he missed) that would be 22 goals, and 19 assists for 41 points, tying his previous career-high. The 24-year-old averages 15 minutes a night and has a 55.1 Corsi for percentage at even strength, which is second on the team.
Ryan Dzingel also left the game with an injury. He got pushed by Jesse Puljujarvi into the boards and hurt his right leg. Here’s the video.
Ryan Dzingel goes down hard… No weight on the leg going off. pic.twitter.com/AWlp0EOTZe
— Alex Metzger (@nhlsensandstuff) March 11, 2021
Dzingel was traded back to Ottawa in February from the Carolina Hurricanes for Cedric Paquette and Alex Galchenyuk. Dzingel has played his best hockey in Ottawa, scoring 126 points in 247 games. He’s played for the Columbus Blue Jackets since then along with Carolina and has scored 45 points in 96 games. Since returning to Ottawa, Dzingel has two goals in three games.
Coincidentally, Colin White and Ryan Dzingel are the two remaining players from Ottawa’s 2017 run where they went to double overtime of Game 7 of the 2017 Eastern Conference Finals.
What this Means for the Future
Colin White‘s injury is bad news for Ottawa. A few weeks ago they lost Derek Stepan for the season because of a damaged labrum in his left shoulder that requires surgery. Losing another centre is tough. The Senators more than likely will move Chris Tierney to the second line and have Artem Anisimov and Matthew Peca as the bottom-six centres.
White’s injury could not have come at a worse time for him. He was scratched at the start of the season, showing he didn’t have head coach D.J Smith’s confidence. Since returning, White and Joshua Norris have been the team’s best centres. He was gaining confidence and to have that stalled is terrible for a player still trying to find his way in the NHL.
The injury also comes at a bad time for Dzingel, but it could have been much worse. He quarantined for two weeks after coming from Carolina to play and gets hurt three games in. Now Ottawa needs another winger. The easiest option is to bring up Clark Bishop from the taxi squad. However, don’t be surprised if they call-up speedster Alex Formenton from Belleville to replace Dzingel’s speed. That would be Senators fans’ preferred option.
The option most Senators fans would like to see is to have Logan Brown called up from Belleville as White’s replacement. However, Brown is hurt and wasn’t in Belleville’s line-up on the same day. It doesn’t appear to be a serious injury, so he could still be available. Another issue for Brown is his play. He has one assist in five games this season in the AHL, so Senators management might not think he’s earned a call-up.
