The Senators won't be getting any injured players back for Jets

Ottawa Senators’ Tim Stuetzle could return to the lineup against the Capitals or Red Wings later this week. Photo by Frank Gunn /THE CANADIAN PRESS

WINNIPEG — Ottawa Senators are unlikely to get reinforcements as they prepare to face the Winnipeg Jets on Tuesday night.

While there was a faint center of hope Tim Stutzle (Shouder) or defender Artem Zub (Fractured Jaw) might be able to make the trip here to dress up, but that won’t be the case and you have to be wondering, whether we will see both of them before the Christmas holidays.

Stutzle was only supposed to be out for seven to ten days when he pulled a shoulder at home in the first leg against the Ducks last Monday. He’s resumed skating at the Canadian Tire Center, so there’s a chance he’ll be competing in either Washington on Thursday or Detroit on Friday.

Stutzle has missed three games with the illness and the club’s game against the Winnipeg Jets on Tuesday night at the Canada Life Center will be their fourth straight.

Though Zub is trending in the right direction and wearing a face shield, there’s a good chance we won’t see him until after the holidays. The jaw needs to be fully healed and protected to return to fitness so the club will have a better idea of a timeline later this week.

Zub has missed eight games due to his injury and missed nine earlier in the season with an undisclosed upper-body condition.

As for center Josh Norris, who is recovering from a shoulder injury sustained in October, it’s doubtful we’ll see him before January. He wore a contact jersey Friday before the Senators left for that road trip, but that didn’t mean much.

Before he can get the game clearance, Norris needs to get the green light from the specialists who recommended he try the shoulder recovery route instead of surgery. It probably won’t happen until early January, but he’s stronger and shoots the puck.

The good news is that Norris will be back eventually and he’s headed in the right direction.

“They’re all skating and we don’t know who’s going to come back first,” said coach DJ Smith on Sunday ahead of the club’s 4-2 loss to the Minnesota Wild. “This is great because it creates real and positive competition.

“Because at some point you know that two or three guys are going to come into the lineup at some point in the next two to three weeks. Everyone wants to play and everyone wants to be there and it’s a good competition. That’s probably why some guys play as hard as they are.”

We apologize, but this video could not be loaded.

BACK TO TALBOT

It would make sense for the Senators to return to Cam Talbot against the Jets.

The decision has been made to split duties over the weekend, with Anton Forsberg starting in Minny with back-to-back games, but the expectation is we’ll see Talbot against the Jet

He’s in a groove and has given the club a chance to win every night. The 35-year-old Talbot made 29 stops in Saturday’s win over the Detroit Red Wings, and although he didn’t get off to a good start on the first goal, he made the crucial saves the club needed.

Talbot has an 8-5-1 life record against the Jets with a .907 save percentage and a 3.23 goals-against average. Up until this point, Talbot and Forsberg have split duties evenly this season.

Since beating the Anaheim Ducks 5-1 away on Nov. 25, Talbot has a 7-2-0 record with 2.34 goals against averages and a .921 save. Forsberg was injured briefly, but he has a 1-1-1 record with a 2.60 GAA and .914 save percentage over the same stretch.

Don’t forget that Talbot missed the first month with a broken rib. So if you look at the club’s success over the last month, it has played an important part in the recovery.

THIS ‘N’ THAT

Winger Drake Batherson is on an eight-game points streak. He has scored five goals and 12 points in that span. It’s the longest of his career… Gus The Bus was happy to beat his former teammates on Sunday. Filip Gustavsson made 26 stops in the club’s win over the Senators and after being traded to the Wild in exchange for Talbot last summer it was nice for him to claim the win. “It’s always nice to beat such an old team,” said Gustavsson. “We played very well overall. They had the pressure and looked good, then we stole the momentum by scoring some nice goals. It’s great to capitalize on their chances.” Gustavsson has been 6-0-0 since November 19, he has a 1.48 GAA and a .945 save percentage… Ottawa’s penalty shootout has been strong lately. The club have a 95.5% success rate in their last six games (21/22). The club also scored two shorthanded attempts in Detroit on Saturday.

We apologize, but this video could not be loaded.

THE LAST WORDS

The Hamburglar hung up his skates for the last time.

Goalkeeper Andrew Hammond confirmed his retirement on Monday with a statement on Twitter. He said an ankle injury sustained during a brief stint with the Montreal Canadiens in 2021-22 will not allow him to play again.

Hammond and the Senators took Ottawa residents on a magical playoff ride during the 2014-15 season as he ran down the track 20-1-2 to help the club qualify for the postseason.

“My career has been a series of incredible and unexpected memories,” Hammond said. “I’ve met some of the best people I know and I can honestly say I’ve had the best ‘job’ in the world.”

Congratulations to Hammond, it was a fun ride seeing it first hand.