What Happened
Ottawa Senators forward prospect Adam Nemec suffered an upper-body injury in the first period of the team's preseason finale against the Montreal Canadiens. Nemec was hit along the boards in the Senators' zone by Canadiens forward Florian Xhekaj, stayed down on the ice and was slow to get up, and did not take another shift. He was ruled out shortly after. Xhekaj was assessed a two-minute minor penalty for interference, and the Senators scored on the resulting power play.
Key Details
- Nemec, 18, was a third-round pick by Ottawa in the June 2025 draft.
- The hit came from Canadiens forward Florian Xhekaj, who was penalized two minutes for interference.
- Nemec did not return to the game after the first-period hit.
- He is expected to rejoin the OHL's Sudbury Wolves once he recovers.
- He posted 14 goals and 35 points in 31 games with Sudbury last season.
- He is the younger brother of Calgary Flames defenceman Simon Nemec.
What It Means
Nemec was not expected to open the season in Ottawa, so the injury mainly affects his availability for Sudbury rather than the Senators' NHL roster. The timing, on the final day of the preseason, leaves his status uncertain heading into the OHL season. Ottawa selected him in the third round in June after a productive season with the Wolves.
What's Next
Nemec's recovery timeline has not been announced. Once healthy, he is slated to return to the OHL's Sudbury Wolves for the coming season.