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Senators Have 'No Timeline' Regarding Two Injured Forwards

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Devon A. Platana | Last updated Jan 9, 2025 12:11 PM ET

The NHL's Eastern Conference playoff picture is heating up and the Ottawa Senators are in the thick of it all.

A strong 11-6-2 run in the Senators' last 19 games has them just one point back of the Columbus Blue Jackets for the conference's second wild-card spot. Travis Green's team would love to leapfrog the competition, however, that's easier said than done given Ottawa's injury situation.

Veteran forwards David Perron and Michael Amadio were supposed to play key roles after the Senators acquired the pair in the offseason. Injuries have forced the duo out of the lineup for quite some time now, leaving the Ottawa fanbase to wonder when they'll make their eventual returns.

Judging by the latest injury update, the pair will need more time before they hit the ice again.

Although Perron and Amadio are reportedly "both closer" to re-joining the club, per Ottawa Sun's Bruce Garrioch, there's still "no timeline" for when their returns will happen.

David Perron and Michael Amadio "are both closer" but no timeline #Sens
— Bruce Garrioch (@SunGarrioch) January 9, 2025

Thursday's update isn't the one Senators fans wanted to hear, but it wasn't all bad news. SportsNet's Alex Adams added that Amadio and Perron participated in the team's latest practice — albeit in non-contact jerseys, suggesting that a return could happen sooner rather than later.

Perron, 36, hasn't played since late November due to a nagging back injury. The former Stanley Cup winner has yet to live up to the two-year, $8 million contract he signed with the Senators in the offseason, failing to register a point in his nine appearances so far.

Amadio, meanwhile, has excelled in a middle-six forward role with the Senators when healthy.

The former 2014 third-rounder has put up two goals and eight assists while winning 52.7 percent of faceoffs in 33 games. Amadio's three-year, $7.8 million contract is aging well in Year 1, leaving time to tell if it'll continue to do so when he eventually returns from concussion protocol.

If the Senators want to return to the playoffs in April, both Perron and Amadio need to be healthy contributors by then. The veteran forward pair boasts the experience and grit that suit postseason hockey, which would make Ottawa a headache to play against.

As Amadio and Perron continue working toward their respective returns, the Senators will turn their attention to Saturday's home game against the Buffalo Sabres. The Atlantic Division collision can be viewed on ESPN+ at 7 p.m. ET.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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