Backs Against Wall, Senators Lose Yet Another Top Defenseman

Ottawa Senators defenceman Jake Sanderson

The Ottawa Senators have their proverbial backs against the wall this weekend. Down 0-3 to the Carolina Hurricanes in their first-round series, it's win-or-go-home. Or in this case, stay home. Game 4 is Saturday in Ottawa.

But the Sens will have to do it without their entire top defense pair. Top d-man Jake Sanderson has been ruled out with a concussion.

He left Game 3 midway through the second period Thursday night after taking a hit to the head from Hurricanes forward Taylor Hall. Sanderson played another couple of shifts after the incident, but was eventually forced to head down the tunnel.

Jake Sanderson has gone down the tunnel in Game 3 pic.twitter.com/afWfkZUKDu
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) April 24, 2026

Sanderson had just played an insane 43:06 in Ottawa's 3-2 double-overtime loss in Game 2 on Monday.

Sanderson had an excellent season for the Sens, with 14 goals and 40 assists for 54 points in 67 regular-season games. He also posted a career-best plus/minus rating of +16 and blocked 128 shots. He averaged 24:50 of ice time per night.

"Sandy's such a big role in our team. He logs in a lot of minutes," fellow Sens defenseman Jordan Spence said on Friday. "He's such a special player. And losing a guy like him, it sucks, but we can't dwell on it. We have to focus on the next game. It's next man up mentality, like we did the second half of the season."

They'll now have to face elimination without their entire top pair on the blueline. Sanderson's partner, Artem Zub, went down in the second period of Game 1 last Saturday and has not returned.

Zub registered 30 points and averaged 20:48 of ice time in 81 regular-season games.

That ol' 'Next Man Up' mentality will be under a huge test in Game 4 for the Senators.