Kovalev having knee surgery

[SevenSeasJim]

Canadian Press with TSN files

11/14/2005 11:26:27 AM

MONTREAL (CP) - Star scorer Alexei Kovalev of the Montreal Canadiens will undergo knee surgery Tuesday in Pittsburgh.

Habs GM Bob Gainey was to address the media at the Bell Centre later Monday.

The Canadiens, off to a solid 12-3-3 start atop the tough Northeast Division, will now be tested without their highest-paid forward.

While it won't be known for certain exactly how long Kovalev will be out of the Habs' lineup, sources tell TSN the initial expectation is he will miss at least a month. The surgical procedure he will undergo is not unlike the same operation that was performed four years ago.

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This procedure is considered "maintenance" for wear and tear as opposed to the result of a specific injury. The surgery will be performed by Dr. Chip Burke in Pittsburgh, the same doctor who did it four years ago.

Kovalev, earning $4.5 million US this season, is second on the Canadiens with 19 points (7-12) in 18 games. He's a major cog on the first line with captain Saku Koivu and winger Richard Zednik and on the first power-play uni

[badams]

We won't miss him. He's nothing more than a 4th line player

[Guest Low Roller]

AHHHHHH!

[Hal Johnson]

Shitfuckpisscunt.

[Blane]

for a second I thought the thread said Kovalchuk. Sucks though. Poor habs always run into injury issues.

[Guest Low Roller]

I think the idea is to get the surgery over and done with early in the season, rather than run the risk of facing it late in the season.

I guess that means that Perezhogin is headed back to the top line.