OTTAWA — A player`s contribution to a team goes beyond mere talent or scoring statistics. True team success is achieved when the right players are effectively positioned in their ideal roles.
This season, Nick Jensen has proven to be a valuable asset to the Ottawa Senators` defense, providing crucial veteran experience alongside Thomas Chabot. However, since January, Jensen has been battling injuries, which led to him missing four games in March due to a lower-body injury.
During Tuesday`s game against the Buffalo Sabres, which resulted in a 5-2 loss and a season sweep for the Sabres over the Senators, it was evident that Jensen was not playing at his full capacity. Coupled with Brady Tkachuk`s absence due to an upper-body injury, the Senators faced significant challenges that were difficult to overcome.
Jensen commented last week on his condition, stating, “It`s really a day-to-day situation. We`re evaluating it every day. I reached a point where it was becoming challenging to even finish a game, so we had to take further action to address it, similar to what I did a few months prior.”
High-performing teams depend on a consistent and effective top-four defensive unit. Ottawa benefits from a strong top pairing in Jake Sanderson and Artem Zub, who have shown dominance in puck possession and shot metrics since the start of 2025. However, the pairing of Jensen and Chabot has not maintained the same level of performance recently.
| CF% | xGF% | Goal Differential | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chabot-Jensen before Jan. 1* | 54.57 | 54.40 | +10 |
| Chabot-Jensen since Jan. 1 | 49.76 | 43.90 | -5 |
| Sanderson-Zub before Jan. 1 | 51.91 | 53.70 | -6 |
| Sanderson-Zub since Jan. 1* | 51.55 | 56.75 | 0 |
Source: Natural StatTrick at five-on-five.
*Pair leads the team in each category.
Jensen`s reduced mobility was a contributing factor in two of the Sabres` goals. In the first period, a miscommunication between Jensen and Chabot led to an unblocked Sabres player in front of the net, allowing a screened goal by Rasmus Dahlin. Later, in the second period, Jensen`s lack of speed in reacting to Tage Thompson allowed Thompson to score the decisive goal in a tic-tac-toe play.
Earlier in the season, Jensen was frequently seen joining the offensive play. However, since January, his offensive involvement has noticeably decreased. Before January 1st, with Chabot and Jensen on the ice at five-on-five, the Senators averaged 3.63 goals per 60 minutes. Since then, this average has dropped to 1.67. In the five games following Jensen`s return to the lineup, Ottawa has only managed to score twice with this pair on the ice at five-on-five. A goal created by Chabot or Jensen in the third period could have potentially altered the outcome against Buffalo.
Throughout the season, the Senators have struggled to have their top four defensemen performing optimally at the same time. Artem Zub was limited to just 11 games in the initial three months due to a concussion and foot injury. His return to regular play in January coincided with the onset of Jensen`s injury issues. For the Senators to make a significant playoff run, it is crucial that Jensen fully recovers his health and returns to his peak performance level.
