Spence and Zub Are What Ottawa Has on the Back End Right Now

Thomas Chabot is out one to two weeks with an upper-body injury, confirmed Sunday after he exited Saturday's game against Philadelphia. That's the update. The more pressing question is what the defense looks like without him, and the answer isn't comfortable.

The depth chart puts Jordan Spence next in line at the position, with Artem Zub behind him. Zub only recently made his season debut, so his availability is still fresh. Spence is a capable NHL defender, but the drop from Chabot to whoever fills his minutes is steep — that's not a knock on Spence specifically, it's just the reality of how much Chabot anchors this group. Jake Sanderson was expected back Wednesday against Florida, which helps, but Sanderson returning doesn't fully paper over a Chabot absence.

Ottawa has also recalled Jorian Donovan in recent days, so Travis Green has some bodies to work with. My read is that the next week or two will be managed carefully — Sanderson's workload, Zub's conditioning, and how much Green leans on Spence in tough minutes. None of those are crisis decisions on their own. Together, they're the whole puzzle.