Goaltender Dominik Hasek is refusing to put a timeline on when he may be able to return from a strained abductor muscle he suffered playing for the Czech Republic at the Olympics, and he admits he's worried. Ottawa Senators' fans are now choking back that feeling of panic that tends to overcome them each year when the playoffs appear on the horizon.

Speaking to reporters for the first time since leaving Torino after injuring his groin on what looked like a routine save, Hasek said there was "very little chance" he would be ready for Ottawa's March 1 game. He's going to wait until he's fully healed before returning, and isn't sure when that might be