Despite their fine 3-1 start, the Senators' salary cap issues continue to be a nuisance.

Throughout their history, the Ottawa Senators have rarely, if ever, been a team that spends to the salary cap. Now that they are, they can't go more than a couple of days without it getting in their way.

The cap continues to keep them from re-signing RFA centre Shane Pinto.

The cap forced them to skate with just 11 forwards on opening night.

And now the cap has forced them to get creative just to be sure they have six starting defencemen against Detroit on Saturday afternoon.

The Sens have begun the year carrying only six D on the NHL roster, and now one of them, Artem Zub, may not be able to play the next game on Saturday. Zub took an Alex Ovechkin shot off the side of his head Wednesday night. 

“Yeah, nothing major right now,” head coach D.J. Smith said TSN 1200 radio. “We’ll see how he feels today, but that’s a huge loss for us. I think this is as good as Zubby's played since he’s been here. That pairing of Sandy and Zub has been outstanding."

Intentionally starting a game with five D certainly isn't an option – not in the NHL.

So, in case Zub isn't ready, the Senators may have to call someone up as replacement from Belleville and, since there isn't cap room, they were forced to place newcomer Zack MacEwen on waivers Thursday.

Whether MacEwen is claimed or sent down to Belleville, that clears up enough space to bring up, for example, Max Guenette, who was the last cut among defencemen at training camp.

MacEwen has played two of Ottawa's four games so far and was a healthy scratch Wednesday against Washington.

* Update - Zub has been ruled out for Saturday and MacEwen has cleared waivers and will report to Belleville. Jacob Bernard-Docker will fill in for Zub.

The Senators go for their fourth straight win Saturday afternoon, hosting the Detroit Red Wings.