OTTAWA — It was fitting that on the darkest day of a Senators season many now view as cursed and mournful, the general manager would arrive dressed in black.

And yet, a defiant Bryan Murray insisted all is not lost, even with superstar defenceman Erik Karlsson out for the rest of the season following a horrific Achilles tendon tear suffered in Wednesday’s game against the Pittsburgh Penguins, compliments of Matt Cooke’s skate blade.

“We’ll recover from this, without a doubt,” Murray said, bravely. “We may not be as talented, but I think we’ve got a real good, strong character group and we have to hope they will carry us through.”

Considering a torn Achilles can be among the worst of athletic injuries, and that Karlsson is the best of Senators, perhaps the top player in the NHL at the moment he went down, Murray commendably turned the blind rage he experienced watching the incident into a broader, more positive outlook.

In a media conference, he tried to have supporters of this team see the sun breaking through the dark clouds that have lingered over Scotiabank Place this season. No fewer than eight players in the organization have fallen to injury, including three premier franchise players who required surgery: Karlsson, centre Jason Spezza (back) and defenceman Jared Cowen (hip).

Perhaps Murray was buoyed by the medical news, which wasn’t the worst. The cut, which severed 70 per cent of the tendon, was “clean,” and the 22-year-old Swede is expected to make a full recovery within three to four months. Some tendon injuries can sideline athletes for more than a year.

Dr. Don Chow, a team physician, was the lead surgeon, assisted by two others during the operation on Karlsson Thursday morning in Ottawa.

“It’s all about the young man at this particular time, that he gets back to the level he was at as one of the good players in the National Hockey League, if not right at the top of the list,” Murray said.

While Murray spoke to NHL disciplinarian Brendan Shanahan about a potential suspension for Cooke, he was not surprised none was forthcoming. The view around the league is that this play was a freak accident, that Cooke’s leg came up to pin Karlsson against the boards. So far, so good. But the Senators did not like the downward action of Cooke’s foot, which did the damage. Karlsson, himself, was livid after it happened.

“Erik was upset, he thought he got directed,” Murray said. “He got cut with a skate that shouldn’t be where it was. It was a nothing play at the time, it should have been blown down because the puck went into the net(ting). There’s lots of things that could have happened that didn’t happen.”

While Murray accepts the league decision, he’s disappointed it didn’t take into account Cooke’s history as an offender, including multiple suspensions for cheap shots. The player has tried to reinvent himself as an honest player with the Penguins, but is he capable of reform? Clearly the NHL could not bring itself to consider a player would be evil enough to intentionally cut another with his skate, and the evidence is not black and white.

Murray said a suspension wouldn’t have fixed anything anyway.

“I’m outraged by the fact we lost Erik Karlsson, that’s all,” he said. “I’m disappointed for him, I’m obviously disappointed for the players on our team and the coaching staff group and the fans in this city. And around the league — this was one of the most entertaining players, one of the reasons you come to the arena, to games at night. And to lose him is a tremendous loss.”

Where do the Senators go from here? They soldier on, gamely. They try to play with the heart and conviction that endeared them to Ottawa fans last season, when they weren’t supposed to make the playoffs, but did. If they don’t get there this year, fans will understand and imagine a brighter day ahead.

Young defenceman like Patrick Wiercioch and Mark Borowiecki will get a chance to play and grow — ditto for rookie forwards Mika Zibanejad and Jakob Silfverberg — but none can individually replace a Spezza, Karlsson or Cowen.

Team defence and scoring by committee are now in vogue.

“We don’t replace Erik Karlsson,” Murray said of the reigning Norris Trophy defenceman. “We don’t have anybody in that category of player. We hope that other people eat up his minutes and defensively — we just won’t allow any goals,” Murray joked.

As well as Craig Anderson has played in goal, it will be a challenge to remain air tight without No. 65 around to play 30 minutes, skating the puck out of danger at will.

While Murray will look to acquire help via trade, he is reluctant to give up a first-round pick or a bright prospect to do it. Some of the walking wounded are due back soon, including forwards Milan Michalek (knee sprain) and Peter Regin (upper body).

wscanlan@ottawacitizen.com

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