Clarke MacArthur is still holding out hope that he can suit up with the Ottawa Senators this season.
The forward made that clear during a media availability on Monday.
“I’m always holding out for this year. I could care less [about] next year,” MacArthur told reporters. “I’m only training like this and doing what I’m doing now is for this year. Next year is next year and I’m going to do anything I can to get back in and if they clear me, I’ll be ready.”
The forward has been dealing with lingering concussion issues since being diagnosed with a head injury during training camp in September, and was even effectively ruled out for the remainder of the season by GM Pierre Dorion back in January.
“I think that was probably a lot of doctors’ and peoples’ hopes, maybe, that I would just wait,” he said. “But I just felt so good that, why would I sit around if I feel good?”
The forward has been skating at the team’s approval, but says he still has some doctors’ tests to go through before he can be cleared. He said he is also hopeful that he’ll be able to join the team at some point during their upcoming road trip.
“I feel great. Anybody listening out there: I feel great,” he said. “Every movement, every play that we’ve been doing out there, I feel up to speed, up to everything. The only thing left is game-shape and game-quickness, which is going to take a few games but other than that, I feel great.”
MacArthur, who has suffered four concussions in the last 19 months and played just four games last season, is still looking for answers.
“I want to know something by the end of the year,” he said. “I think that’s fair for them, the team, and myself.”
[relatedlinks]
