Washington Capitals defenseman Mike Green will undergo abdominal surgery and will miss four to six weeks, according to WashingtonCaps.com senior writer Mike Vogel. According to ESPN's Pierre LeBrun, Green's surgery is scheduled for Tuesday.
Green has missed all but 10 of Washington's 43 games this season with a myriad of injuries. Green twisted his right ankle October 22 against the Detroit Red Wings and did not return until November 11 against the New Jersey Devils. Yet, Green lasted only eight shifts before straining his right groin muscle, an injury that cost him 23 consecutive games.
Green made his second return from injury January 3 against the Calgary Flames, but left during the second period of the Caps' subsequent game January 7 against the San Jose Sharks with what head coach Dale Hunter called "tightness in his groin."
The Caps placed Green on long-term injured reserve January 12, which removed his $5.25 million salary cap hit. Green was eligible to return to the lineup February 1, but with the news of his surgery, he will be out for much longer.
Since the start of the 2010-11 season, which was also injury-plagued for Green as he dealt with head injuries, Green has played in a total of exactly half of the Caps' combined regular season and playoff games (67 of 134).
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