We now know what the upper-body injury is that kept Craig Anderson out of the Ottawa Senators last game. The veteran goaltender has suffered a concussion and will not be available to the team this weekend. Defenseman Justin Falk has also been diagnosed with a concussion and will not be available. In the meantime, the team has recalled goaltender Marcus Hogberg from the minor leagues.
The Senators season is trending the way many expected after a surprisingly effective start, and losing Anderson for any length of time will only weaken their position in the league. The veteran goaltender has a .905 save percentage on the season but is obviously the Senators best choice, given the rest of their depth at the position. Hogberg will join Mike McKenna in the crease for the time being, while former backup Mike Condon has still played in just a single game for the Belleville Senators while dealing with a hip injury.
The 37-year old Anderson still has another year on his contract at $4.75MM and was considered a potential trade candidate before the injury. That potential may disappear now if he can’t get himself back to playing well before the deadline comes around in a couple of months, especially given that his contract is of the 35+ variety. That means Anderson’s cap hit will stay on the books even if he retires or is bought out, which should scare off any potential buyers when added to a recent concussion. Hopefully he’ll be able to put this injury behind him quickly and get back to playing.