Senators facing elimination minus injured No. 1 defenceman Jake Sanderson

Ottawa Senators defenceman Jake Sanderson skates with the puck in Washington on Saturday, Oct. 25, 2025. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

The Senators will face elimination minus their No. 1 defenceman.

Ottawa head coach Travis Green says Jake Sanderson has a concussion after taking a hit to the head from Carolina forward Taylor Hall in Thursday’s 2-1 loss that put the Hurricanes up 3-0 in the teams’ first-round playoff series.

Hall received a two-minute minor on the second-period sequence that resulted in Sanderson’s helmet popping off. The 23-year-old blueliner played two more shifts before departing.

Green said post-game it was “ridiculous” that a major penalty wasn’t called on Hall. Sanderson registered 54 points (14 goals, 40 assists) across 67 contests in 2025-26. He added a pair of assists in Game 2 against Carolina.

Ottawa, which lost 2-0 and 3-2 in double overtime to open the best-of-seven matchup, will look to keep its season going Saturday afternoon at Canadian Tire Centre.

Game 5, if necessary, would be Monday in Raleigh, N.C.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 24, 2026.

Joshua Clipperton, The Canadian Press