Flyers

Hey, The Flyers Lost Another Defenseman

By Kyle Scott

Published: Aug 12th, 2012 · 11:35 AM EDT

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Hips don't lie

Well, F.

Not that many of you were too concerned about the health of Flyers defenseman Andreas Lilja, but according a report in a Swedish paper, the 37-year-old underwent hip surgery and will be out until December. Here’s the Google translation:

Helsingborg Comforter Andreas Lilja has been on a setback before the start of the season in the NHL and Philadelphia Flyers. A back injury makes giant, which earlier said that Rögle is his' first day he decides to move back from the U.S., not back in the hockey rink until December.

I have had problems with my hip a couple of years and usually pain over the summer. That was not this year, the pain was still there and therefore had to be an operation. It went no further, say Andreas Lilja.

37-year old is still at home in Sweden. He will however go over to the American market and implement their rehabilitation under the supervision of Philadelphia's lead.

 

Basically, he had hip surgery in Sweden, will rehab in the US, and return to action around December (which, of course, may be when the NHL returns to action). The Flyers have yet to confirm this, however, and translated reports, as you can see, are somtimes fuzzy.

This isn’t good. Though I once heard someone liken Lilja to a pylon, as he isn’t the most agile defenseman in the world, the Flyers can’t afford to lose another d-man. They lost Matt Carle to free agency, will likely be without Andrej Meszaros (torn Achilles) for most of the year, missed out on Ryan Suter and Shea Weber, and Chris Pronger may never play again. Now Lilja. 

The offseason additions of Luke Schenn and Bruno Gervais are fine, but those guys were not intended to be, at worst, the Flyers’ second defense pairing.

There aren’t many options remaining to bolster the blue line, but one name comes to mind: Jay Bouwmeester, who would have to be acquired in a trade with Calgary. In July, a source told us he could be the Flyers’ Plan B. Though now it seems like he would be more like Plan F.

UPDATE: It's not as bad as once feared (if we can even use such a word with the human trash can). The Flyers are saying he'll be back in late October or early November.

via Hockey Buzz