The Jake Sanderson injury update from NHL.com shows the Ottawa Senators still without their top defenseman, and Artem Zub remains sidelined as well, leaving the club short two regulars on the blue line. Sanderson has not played since Oct. 3, when Ottawa visited the Toronto Maple Leafs, and the Senators have not disclosed the nature of his injury, according to NHL.com. Zub, meanwhile, has been skating but has yet to make his season debut as he works back from a knee injury.
Sanderson’s Role And Zub’s Status
Sanderson, Ottawa’s top defenseman, led all Senators blueliners last season with 14 goals, 40 assists and 54 points while averaging 24:50 of ice time per game. Zub recorded 30 points (five goals, 25 assists), finished plus-22 across 81 games and averaged 20:48 of ice time in 2025-26.
Blue-Line Depth Without Two Regulars
Ottawa entered the season already stretched on defense with both Sanderson and Zub unavailable, according to ESPN’s recap of the Senators’ 4-1 win over the New Jersey Devils. The absence of two established defensemen leaves the Senators leaning on the rest of their blue-line group to cover the minutes typically split between them.
Despite the shorthanded defense corps, Ottawa has won five of its first six games this season while also missing other key players to injury, per ESPN. That record suggests the Senators have found ways to compensate, though the specific players filling the void on the blue line were not detailed in the available reporting.
What’s Next
Neither player has a confirmed return date. Ottawa hosts St. Louis on Tuesday.
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