On Sunday morning, it become known that Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Andreas Lilja underwent hip surgery to repair a nagging injury when his comments became public in an article published by Swedish outlet, Helsingborgs Dagblad.
Speaking in his native language, Lilja stated that his hip has been bothering him for the last few offseasons but normally the discomfort subsides prior to the start of the NHL season. When it didn't dissapate this offseason, he realized he needed to undergo surgery.
His comments translated via the twitter stream of Matias Strozyk:
"I've had problems for a couple of years but usually the pain eased over summer. Not this year, so I needed surgery. Now I have a new hip and the difference will be big when I return. Not least mentally, since I can now move without pain. Missing the first two months won't matter much. Now I will be alert and pain-free once the fun starts."
According to the translation, Lilja projects that he will be ready by the start of the December. However, Flyers general manager Paul Holmgren disagrees with that assessment.
When reached for comment by Comcast SportsNet Philadelphia, Holmgren stated that he expects to have Lilja available by the beginning of November.
Via CSN Philly:
"He did have surgery [and] should be back late October or early November," Holmgren texted CSNPhilly.com on Sunday afternoon.
You can read more about the Philadelphia Flyers at Broad Street Hockey. For more on the NHL draft and additional news, notes and analysis around the league during the season and offseason, be sure to check out SB Nation's dedicated hub page.