Chabot to start NHL season with Ottawa

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Saint John Sea Dogs defenceman Thomas Chabot will start the 2016-17 NHL season with the Ottawa Senators.

Pierre Dorion, Ottawa's general manager, confirmed the news today.

Pierre Dorion says: "These are our eight defencemen." Means Thomas Chabot will start season here. #Sens

— Bruce Garrioch (@SunGarrioch) October 6, 2016

Chabot and Claesson will start the season in Ottawa.

— Brent Wallace (@tsn_wally) October 6, 2016

The Senators made a number of roster moves yesterday, which created speculation that Chabot would stick with the Sens to start the season.

Chabot was a first-round pick of the Senators in the 2015 NHL Draft.

Now the question is how long will Chabot stay with the Sens. A few weeks? Until the world juniors? All season? Do the Sens want to burn a year of his entry-level contract? There's still plenty of questions to wonder about.

The absence of Chabot is, of course, a big loss for the Sea Dogs. The 19-year-old would be one of the best defencemen in the CHL and would likely average around a point-per-game.

Last season, Chabot had 11 goals and 34 assists in 47 games with Saint John. He added three goals and 18 assists in 17 playoff matches.

The Senators begin the regular season on Wednesday, Oct. 12 at home against Toronto.