Ottawa Senators defenceman Filip Kuba will miss the next 3-4 weeks after being placed on the injured reserve list Wednesday.

Head coach Paul MacLean revealed the upper-body injury that has kept Kuba out of the past three games is a left shoulder problem.

With Kuba out long-term, it appears rookie Jared Cowen will continue to see big minutes. Cowen played more than 28 minutes against tonight’s opponent, the Washington Capitals, last Saturday an figures to see a lot of Alex Ovechkin.

MacLean chuckled when told Cowen believes he plays better when he gets more ice time.

“Don’t they all say that?” MacLean joked. “For the most part, he’s earned the minutes. The injury to Filip maybe has opened the door a little bit, but if he didn’t play well enough, we wouldn’t keep throwing him on the ice so he can play the minutes. You have to actually play well when you’re out there.”

The Senators are expected to get re-enforcements on the blue line shortly.

Matt Carkner, who has yet to play a game this season thanks to a nagging knee injury, is set to re-join the team tomorrow night in New Jersey after a conditioning stint in Binghamton. MacLean said Carkner won’t play in that game, but didn’t rule out Saturday’s contest against the Vancouver Canucks.

There won’t be any lineup or line changes against the Capitals tonight, meaning Craig Anderson will start in goal and Nikita Filatov will be a healthy scratch.

Tags: Filip Kuba, Ottawa Senators