The Ottawa Senators will be without the services of defenseman Dion Phaneuf when they face the New York Islanders tonight at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn. Phaneuf left Tuesday’s contest, a 4-2 loss to the Washington Capitals, with an undisclosed lower-body injury.
#Sens Dion Phaneuf (lower body injury) will not return to tonight's game.
— Sens Communications (@Media_Sens) March 23, 2016
The injury occurred after Phaneuf was hit by Washington defenseman Brooks Orpik in the second period. There’s currently no time-table for his return to the lineup.
The Senators acquired Phaneuf from the Toronto Maple Leafs at this season’s trade deadline. Since joining Ottawa, he has recorded one goal and eight total points through 20 games. The Senators are currently in fifth place in the Atlantic Division, with very little chance of making a push for a postseason bid. With 76 points, they trail the Philadelphia Flyers and Detroit Red Wings, both of whom occupy the Eastern Conference wild card spots with 83 points, by seven points.
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In lieu of Phaneuf’s injury, the Senators have recalled 23-year old blue-liner Fred Claesson from their AHL affiliate, the Binghamton Senators. Claesson has 10 points in 55 games at the AHL level this season, and zero points through eight games in the NHL with the Senators.