Sens' Brannstrom suffers concussion vs. Isles

Ottawa Senators defenseman Erik Brannstrom has a concussion, head coach D.J. Smith confirmed Friday, according to TSN 1200.

Brannstrom had to be stretchered off the ice midway through Thursday's 3-2 loss against the New York Islanders after landing awkwardly when opposing forward Cal Clutterbuck hit him into the boards.

Brannstrom stayed in hospital overnight. Smith added that all other tests came back negative and that the blue-liner is returning to Ottawa on Friday afternoon.

Clutterbuck was remorseful about the incident, even though it wasn't malicious.

“I’ve got 3,800 hits and I was just finishing him," the Islanders' veteran said postgame, according to the New York Post's Ethan Sears. "I kept playing, I turned around and everyone was yelling. Just hate to see it, honestly. I’m sick to my stomach about it. I was then. I am now. It’s not something that you want to have happen.”

Brannstrom logged under eight minutes of ice time before the hit and played in all six of Ottawa's previous games this season.

The 24-year-old joined the Senators' organization in the 2019 trade that sent Mark Stone to the Vegas Golden Knights.

Vegas drafted Brannstrom 15th overall in 2017.