OTTAWA — A player`s contribution to a team goes beyond just skill and scoring. Success arises when each player is effectively used in their designated role.
This season, Nick Jensen has been a vital defenseman for the Ottawa Senators, providing veteran support alongside Thomas Chabot. However, a lower-body injury sustained in January, causing him to miss games in March, has hampered his performance.
In Tuesday`s game, a 5-2 defeat against the Buffalo Sabres, Jensen`s injury was evident. Coupled with Brady Tkachuk`s absence due to an upper-body injury, the Senators struggled to compensate for these key player losses, resulting in a season sweep by the Sabres.
Jensen commented last week on his injury, stating it`s a “day-to-day thing” and requires daily assessment. He mentioned reaching a point where finishing games became challenging, necessitating further steps to address the issue, similar to treatments from months prior.
Top-tier teams depend on a strong top-four defensive group. Ottawa benefits from a strong pairing in Jake Sanderson and Artem Zub, who have excelled in puck possession and shot metrics since the start of 2025. However, the Jensen-Chabot pairing hasn`t maintained the same level of effectiveness.
| CF% | xGF% | Goal differential | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chabot-Jensen before Jan. 1* | 54.57 | 54.40 | +10 |
| Chabot-Jensen since Jan. 1 | 49.76 | 43.90 | -5 |
| Sanderson-Zub before Jan. 1 | 51.91 | 53.70 | -6 |
| Sanderson-Zub since Jan. 1* | 51.55 | 56.75 | 0 |
Data from Natural StatTrick at five-on-five play.
*Pair leads the team in each category.
Jensen`s reduced mobility played a role in two of Buffalo`s goals. In the first period, a defensive mix-up between Jensen and Chabot left a Sabres player open in front of the net. This allowed Ryan McLeod to screen the goalie on Rasmus Dahlin`s goal, giving Buffalo a 2-0 lead.
In the second period, while paired with Sanderson in a four-on-four situation, Jensen reacted slowly to Tage Thompson entering the zone. This gave Thompson space to score the decisive goal.
Earlier in the season, Jensen was known for joining the offensive play frequently. However, since January, his offensive contributions have decreased. Before January 1st, with Chabot and Jensen on the ice during five-on-five play, the Senators averaged 3.63 goals per 60 minutes. Since then, this average has dropped to 1.67. In the five games following Jensen`s return from injury, Ottawa has only scored twice with this pairing on the ice at five-on-five. A goal from Chabot or Jensen in the third period against Buffalo could have potentially changed the game`s outcome.
The Senators` top four defensemen have not been consistently performing at their peak simultaneously throughout the season. Artem Zub missed a significant portion of the initial months due to a concussion and foot injury, limiting him to just 11 games in the first three months. His return to regular play in January coincided with Jensen`s injury issues. For the Senators to achieve a deep playoff run, Jensen regaining full health and playing at his best will be crucial.
Tristan Blackwood