Thomas Chabot's Comeback is Happening Faster Than Anyone Expected

Here's some good news coming out of Ottawa: Thomas Chabot is looking at a way quicker return than the doctors initially thought. The Senators defenseman practiced Tuesday in a noncontact jersey for the first time since he broke his right forearm on March 23. He had surgery three days later and was originally expected to be sidelined for 4 to 8 weeks, but Senators coach Travis Green is already optimistic about getting him back sooner.

"It's definitely going to be sooner, whenever it is," Green said before Ottawa hosted the Tampa Bay Lightning. "Hopefully, he'll be back sooner than later."

A Key Piece Returning to the Blue Line

Losing Chabot hurt. The guy has been putting up solid offensive numbers from the back end, racking up 31 points (seven goals, 24 assists) and sitting at plus-6 through 55 games while averaging 22:34 of ice time. In today's NHL, a defenseman who can move the puck and contribute that consistently is worth its weight in gold, and the Senators' power play and transition game have definitely missed his presence on the ice.

Around the League: Other Injury Updates

The injury bug is hitting hard across the league right now. Colorado's Cale Makar (upper body) is progressing but won't return immediately, according to Avalanche coach Jared Bednar. The defenseman went down in a 9-2 win against Calgary on March 30. Bednar left him home on the team's road trip and expects him to miss a few more games, though he should be back before the regular season ends.

Detroit got some good news: Justin Faulk returned against Columbus on Tuesday after missing their previous two games with a lower body injury. He got hurt during the second period of a 4-2 win at Philadelphia on April 2. Since arriving from St. Louis in a trade on March 6, Faulk has three points (one goal, two assists) in 12 games.

Down in Washington, the Capitals are getting a fresh face. Ilya Protas, a 19-year-old third-round pick from the 2024 NHL Draft, will make his debut against Toronto on Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. ET. The kid was tearing it up in Hershey with 62 points (28 goals, 34 assists) in 66 games. "It's just unbelievable," Protas said. "I couldn't believe it for a second and I was shaking for a bit, and it was special, for sure. I can't describe it. I can't wait for tomorrow." He'll center a line with his older brother Aliaksei and Tom Wilson on his wings.

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.