The Ottawa Senators will not face their longtime captain, Daniel Alfredsson, in tonight’s game against the Detroit Red Wings. Instead the 40-year-old forward will miss his sixth straight contest due to a groin injury, according to Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Sun.
“They want to make sure it doesn’t become (a long-term issue),” said Alfredsson.
He said he wasn’t targeting this game, but he was hoping to play “given what happened last time.” In his first game against Ottawa, the Senators earned a crushing 6-1 victory.
The Senators are hoping history repeats itself tonight as they fight to end a three-game losing streak and put their season back on track. They are six points out of a playoff spot with a 8-10-4 record.
Barring a setback, Alfredsson should be healthy enough to play in his return to Ottawa on Dec. 1. It will be the Canadian Tire Centre fans’ first chance to cheer or boo him since he signed with Detroit over the summer.