Ottawa Senators captain Daniel Alfredsson will be out of the lineup indefinitely with a lower back injury and hopes it takes no longer than a couple weeks to get back in the lineup, coach Cory Clouston said Wednesday.
"It's to the point where we don't want to put him in jeopardy as far as health," Clouston said. "He's not able to do the things he wants to be able to do right now, and it's getting worse and worse. It's been a while since he's been anywhere near 100 per cent."
Alfredsson skipped Tuesday's practice for a maintenance day and wasn't on the ice for Wednesday's game-day skate, as the Senators try to end their 10-game losing streak against the Calgary Flames this evening.
"I've been having a little bit of a problem the last few weeks especially," Alfredsson told the CANADIAN PRESS. "I was hoping the all-star break was going to help me to go forward but the last two games, it hasn't been as good as I would have liked."
Alfredsson leads the club with 31 points.
Ottawa will also be without forward Jesse Winchester (knee) for tonight's contest, while defenceman Matt Carkner will return from a lower-body injury and replace Brian Lee in the lineup.
