Finally, some good injury news for the Belleville Senators

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Belleville Senators coach Troy Mann can finally see some light at the end of the injury tunnel.

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Mads Sogaard and Lassi Thomson, the Ottawa Senators ‘top prospects, are expected to return to action this week when the Senators’ AHL affiliate hits the road for a four-game trip.

Sogaard, the 6-7 goalkeeper who has the potential to be a future major league goalkeeper, has not played since suffering a groin injury on the opening weekend, but is aiming to play Wednesday against the Rochester. Amerks. The return of Sogaard, a Senators second-round pick in the 2019 entry draft, will provide a respite for Kevin Mandolese, who has been carrying the load while Filip Gustavsson has been putting on an NHL-level show.

Thomson, the right-hand defender selected in the first round of the 2019 draft, has played in just four games due to a sprained ankle. A strong candidate to be called up to Ottawa at some point this season, Thomson has played in just four games for Belleville, scoring one goal.

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“He’s not serious and he skated hard by himself (Monday),” said Mann, who has spent the first part of the season trying to plug holes with band-aids from ECHL or players in pro tryout offers. “We hope to take him to one of the games against Cleveland (Friday and Saturday).”

It’s been routine for Belleville, who lost 5-2 to the Toronto Marlies on both Friday and Saturday after a 7-3 win over Rochester last Wednesday. Belleville is currently last in the North Division with a 2-5 record.

When preseason began, Belleville had a reasonable expectation that centers Clark Bishop and Logan Shaw would start the season at Belleville. Bishop’s injury, along with injuries to Colin White and Shane Pinto, have left Belleville with little experience. Over the weekend, Belleville also had eight more injured players.

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“It’s kind of frustrating to have so many injuries,” Mann said. “I’ve never seen so many this early (in the season). We’re just trying to get over it. “

If there was any good news last week, it’s that defender Erik Brannstrom didn’t miss a beat after taking a big hit last Wednesday against Rochester. Brannstrom lost three teeth and needed eight stitches to close the resulting wound.

With the Vegas Golden Knights arriving at the Canadian Tire Center to face the Senators on Thursday, Brannstrom is in the spotlight because he was Mark Stone’s main comeback in the 2019 trade deadline deal.

“There are no problems with his toughness, his competence and his attitude, and he works hard with (assistant coach) David Bell to go over his shifts,” Mann said. “It’s the same every year, whether you’re with Ottawa or with us. You have to move the puck faster and when you are under pressure, everything is backwards. He takes one or two strong blows in every game. “

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Brannstrom, who has posted an assist in seven games, is often caught in difficult positions by trying to do too much, according to Mann.

“The game down here is not as structured as up here (in the NHL), where you usually know where everyone is going. Sometimes, less is more.”

There has also been an adjustment for defender Jacob Bernard-Docker, a 2018 first-round pick. He has two goals in Belleville’s seven games.

“Okay,” Mann said, when asked for an evaluation of his game. “It is a kind of identity crisis. It comes from the University of North Dakota, a high-level program where the team always had the disc. Now, there is a little more chaos, he has been forced to defend more and there is a lot of slippage in his path ”.

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It’s yet another example that AHL is a big leap from both the NCAA and youth hockey, but that’s what learning and development are all about, according to Mann.

“He’s a little bit where Thomson was at this stage of the (2020-21) COVID season, it’s kind of revealing.”

So far, Mann says Belleville’s main defender has been Jonathan Aspirot, an undrafted blue player who also impressed on training ground.

The Belleville coach has also been impressed with forward Jake Lucchini, who was acquired in a minor league deal with Laval three weeks ago when injuries hit the Senators’ organization hard. Lucchini has scored four goals and two assists in seven games and leads Belleville in scoring.

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