who or how to replace an injured spezza...

OTTAWA -- The Ottawa Senators will be without one of their top forwards for several weeks.

Centre Jason Spezza is out indefinitely after suffering a right shoulder injury in Sunday night's 3-1 win over Pittsburgh.

Spezza said it doesn't look like surgery will be required but there is still no timetable for his return.

"We'll just take it day by day and see but it's not going to be any time soon," Spezza said Monday.

He suffered the injury early in the second period after being hit into the boards by Penguins defenceman Kris Letang. Spezza left the ice and did not return to the game.

"I knew something was wrong," Spezza said. "The shoulder didn't feel good and I just knew when I got off the ice that something was pretty bad."

Spezza said he thought the hit was "a little bit dirty." Letang got a two-minute boarding penalty on the play.

"He doesn't have to push me there," Spezza said. "My back is to him the whole time, I'm going for the puck. I think he even realized that he pushed me and he tried to catch me, I think.

"It is what it is and it happens. The league will look at it I'm sure."

There was no immediate word from the NHL on potential discipline.

Spezza, who was hampered by a groin injury earlier this season, has 20 points (nine goals, 11 assists) in 32 games. The Senators (16-17-4) are ninth in the Eastern Conference with 36 points.

"It's been a tough year for me, a tough year for the team," Spezza said. "I'm pretty disappointed with how things have gone. Now for this to happen, I'm definitely frustrated for sure."

stempniaksen wrote:Can't replace him, hope like hell they don't trade valuable pieces for a plug.

SpezDispenser wrote:I think Clouston will just make the Fisher - Alfredsson - Foligno the top line by default, with Michalek - Regin - Kovalev as the 2nd line.

I still think Greening gets a look as the replacement for Regin on the 4th line, but Z.Smith wouldn't surprise me either.

SpezDispenser wrote:I think Clouston will just make the Fisher - Alfredsson - Foligno the top line by default, with Michalek - Regin - Kovalev as the 2nd line.

I still think Greening gets a look as the replacement for Regin on the 4th line, but Z.Smith wouldn't surprise me either.

wprager wrote:

SpezDispenser wrote:I think Clouston will just make the Fisher - Alfredsson - Foligno the top line by default, with Michalek - Regin - Kovalev as the 2nd line.

I still think Greening gets a look as the replacement for Regin on the 4th line, but Z.Smith wouldn't surprise me either.

Let's hope that the Michalek - Regin - Kovalev line doesn't miss the mark

They need goals; which of Greening/Smith/O'Brien/Butler gives you that? They also need a center who can win a face off -- Regin started out great in that respect but has done precious little since then. We all know where Fisher is. Foligno? Who knows. All I know is that we *don't* have a center ready in Bingo -- heck, their roster has only three centers in O'Brien, Bass and Locke. Locke is too slow by all accounts, and we've seen Bass here -- nothing more than a 4th liner. So that leaves O'Brien.

O'Brien is doing well in Bingo, 12-13-25 in 32 games and second on the team with +13. I can't find any faceoff stats for the AHL, though.

Flo The Action wrote:i wouldn't expect locke to get a shot at the top line but what is it going to take for him to get a call up? i wonder what they promised him when he signed here?
"ok, if spezza, fisher, regin and smith get injured you're a shoe in buddy. and you know that's going to happen, so just put you're name on the dotted line..."
i feel bad for the guy.

Flo The Action wrote:i wouldn't expect locke to get a shot at the top line but what is it going to take for him to get a call up? i wonder what they promised him when he signed here?
"ok, if spezza, fisher, regin and smith get injured you're a shoe in buddy. and you know that's going to happen, so just put you're name on the dotted line..."
i feel bad for the guy.