TRENDING Drew Rasmussen starting Game 5 NFL trade deadline proposals WNBA Finals schedule fiasco Anthony Edwards injury impact Week 8 fantasy trade tips Story by Story by Senators Place Defenseman On Waivers To Make Room For Probable Chabot Return Steve Warne Wed, October 28, 2026 at 9:37 PM UTC · 3 min read About Our Ads Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Senators placed defenceman Cameron Crotty on waivers Wednesday afternoon, a move that strongly suggests captain Thomas Chabot is ready to return from injury.
Crotty, the 27-year-old Ottawa native, has appeared in just three games for the Senators this season, recording no points, a plus-one rating and averaging 11 minutes and nine seconds of ice time.
After Monday's skate, Thomas Chabot described his recovery and how the Sens have fared in dealing with injuries (Senators YouTube).
With all the injuries, the 6-foot-3, 212-pound right-shot defenceman probably would have logged even more NHL playing time if not for an illness that briefly landed him on injured reserve.
If Crotty clears waivers Thursday afternoon, he's expected to be assigned to the Belleville Senators of the American Hockey League, where he'll have an opportunity to play more regularly.
Originally selected by the Arizona Coyotes in the third round, 82nd overall, of the 2017 NHL Draft, Crotty played his college hockey at Boston University before turning professional.
Crotty played six games for the Senators last season, collecting his first NHL point. He even made his Stanley Cup playoff debut against the Carolina Hurricanes last spring.
While Wednesday's news isn't good for the hometown boy, it does suggest that Chabot is ready to return to face the LA Kings on Thursday night.
Chabot has been out since suffering an upper-body injury during the Senators' 3-1 loss to the Philadelphia Flyers on October 17. He's appeared in seven games this season, recording four points, along with a plus-five rating.
He opened the season with a goal and an assist in the Senators' 3-2 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs, his first game since being named the club's new captain.
Chabot is coming off an injury-shortened 2025-26 season where he had 31 points in 57 games. While Jake Sanderson has emerged as the Senators' top defenceman, Chabot remains one of their most important players. .
The Senators have managed to get by during Chabot's absence, as they have with all their injuries this season. They're still without starting goalie Linus Ullmark, winger William Eklund, and as of Tuesday night, Warren Foegele, who suffered a knee injury in Vegas.
If Chabot returns on Thursday in LA, it'll be the first time all season the Sens have had their top six defensemen all healthy on the same night.
Naturally, that will allow the D to settle back in with partners, ice time and matchups that are more familiar and appropriate.
With the way the Sens' season is going injury-wise, it may not be long before Crotty is needed again. So, from that perspective, it's important to get him back playing again. Crotty hasn't suited up in almost two weeks and the return to Belleville will at least allow him to get back to playing meaningful minutes.
But now there are several roster issues at hand.
Will Crotty get claimed by another NHL club?
Which defenseman heads to the press box on Thursday? Sanderson, Chabot, Zub, Spence, and Kleven are all locked in. So either Olympian Nikolas Matinpalo or former first-rounder Carter Yakemchuk will have to come out.
And how will they replace Foegele? Will it be Hayden Hodgson or will someone from Belleville get called up for a look?
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Source: Sports
