Clarke MacArthur Autographed Card

Back in January, the Ottawa Senators announced they were shutting Clarke MacArthur down for the season due to post-concussion syndrome, and many thought it spelled the end for his career.

Until last night, when he suited up in a 2-0 win against the Detroit Red Wings:

It was only his fifth game since the start of the 2015-16 season.

This was 18 months in the making, and a grand moment for him and his family. We'll see where that leads, as concussions have a sneaky way of being symptom-free for a day or two then hitting back with a vengeance - and notwithstanding the fact that the playoffs are right around the corner and usually involve heavier hitting than the regular season - but, for now, this is a pure and positive a story as can be.

I wish him luck and health going forward.

Here he is wearing the Sens' white (now-away) uniform, on card #406 from Upper Deck's 2013-14 Series 2 set, which he signed in (fading) blue sharpie:

It depicts him fighting for the puck in front of then-Anaheim Ducks goalie Frederik Andersen, now with MacArthur's former team, the Toronto Maple Leafs... the Sens' likely first round opponents.

Clarke MacArthur Autographed Card

Sad news today, as it was learned that Ottawa Senators power forward Clarke MacArthur was shut down for the entire season because of a concussion suffered during the preseason, his fourth in 19 months.

A veteran who has suited up for four different NHL teams - he'd been a Buffalo Sabres draft pick (74th overall), was traded to the Atlanta Thrashers and signed with the Toronto Maple Leafs when the Thrashers declined to accept his arbitration salary - he had found his niche in Ottawa as a 25-goal, 55-point second-liner who wasn't afraid to throw his 195 pounds around to make room for himself in the offensive zone.

This doesn't bode well for the remainder of his career, but I wish him the best - and a complete recovery. We'll see about his career later, but he won't have to worry about his future, with three more seasons after this one in which he will receive $4.75M apiece (and account for $4.65M on the salary cap).

Here he is wearing the Sens' red (home) uniform, on card #14 from Panini's 2013-14 Titanium set, the first regular-issue card from that set I ever got signed:

It's a beautiful silver foil card that he signed in blue sharpie that he signed during the 2014-15 playoffs, which the Sens lost to my hometown Montréal Canadiens.