Donovan Sebrango has a chance to live out his NHL dream on the Ottawa Senators’ current western road trip.
After Artem Zub fractured is foot on Saturday night in a loss to the Vancouver Canucks, Sebrango was called up from AHL Belleville on Tuesday to make the three-game trip to California this week. The trip starts on Wednesday night in San Jose, then moves Saturday to Los Angeles, and finally, as the Sens put the kryptonite of November behind them, they close out the trip on Sunday in Anaheim.
It’s every player’s dream to get a chance to play in his first NHL game, but Sebrango hails from Ottawa, which makes the notion extra special. But with the Senators fighting for every point right now, they’re not likely to go to Sebrango unless there’s an injury or one of the starting six really struggles.
That said, they brought winger Cole Reinhardt along on their last West Coast trip under similar circumstances, and he ended up playing due to David Perron’s sudden leave of absence earlier this season. Perron’s recent upper-body injury has opened the NHL door to Reinhardt again.
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Sebrango is an alternate captain and has two goals and six points in 14 games for the B-Sens this season. One of his goals will be prominently featured on the team’s 2024-25 highlight reel.
Now in his fourth pro season, Sebrango played for Canada at the 2022 World Junior Hockey Championships and was drafted in the third round by the Detroit Red Wings in 2020. The 22-year-old was acquired by Ottawa as part of the Alex DeBrincat trade in the summer of 2023. The Sens also acquired Dominik Kubalik and a 2024 first-round pick (Braeside’s Dean Letourneau) that they later gave up in the Linus Ullmark deal.
For Sebrango, the NHL dream is within reach, and even if it isn’t realized this week, two things are true: an NHL-level paycheque is always welcome, and his mom is always in his corner.
