Ottawa Senators' Bobby Ryan out indefinitely with finger injury

Ottawa Senators forward Bobby Ryan will be sidelined indefinitely with a right index finger injury, the team announced on Sunday prior to its game versus the Winnipeg Jets.

Ryan sustained the injury after he was hit by the puck on a shot during the third period of Saturday's 6-3 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs.

"He'll be out for a while. If it's broken, we're talking three to six weeks," Ottawa coach Guy Boucher said. "This obviously comes at a bad moment. Let's not kid ourselves. This team is battling hard to make the playoffs and we desperately need him in the lineup.

"He was going really good and you take a guy of that caliber, he's got the size and the smarts to be able to play against big teams and can fit on any line, those guys you don't replace."

Ryan has 12 goals and as many assists in 50 games this season, with just three points and 14 shots on goal coming in his last eight contests. The 29-year-old missed two games in November with a bone bruise near the base of the right index finger and sat out three more after prematurely returning to the lineup.

Fredrik Claesson is expected to be inserted into the lineup in place of Ryan for Sunday's game.