Bad news got worse for Joe Sakic and the Avalanche on Wednesday. The team captain underwent back surgery for a herniated disc and is expected to need 10 weeks to recover, the Avs said.
An earlier hand injury, suffered in a snowblower accident, would have kept Sakic out until March 10. Now, after his back surgery, his timetable for return is somewhere near March 18. The Avs play March 19 against Edmonton in Denver, with 11 games left in the season.
“I understand that this was the best way for me to return to the ice, so now my focus and goal will be to get back as soon as possible to help my teammates in the final weeks of the season,” Sakic said.
The Avalanche veteran forward will rest at home for at least a week, the team said, before beginning rehab. Sakic hurt his back in a Nov. 28 game at Phoenix and was later said to have a herniated disc.
“After weeks of rehabilitation, it was determined that surgery was the safest path to a complete recovery,” Avs team physician Andrew Parker said. “This was our best option and the surgery went as expected.”
