| The timeline would have Meszaros being available in May, if the Flyers are still playing. (Getty Images) |
If you're a defenseman for the Philadelphia Flyers , you better watch your step. They're dropping like flies this season.
The latest to fall to the injury list is Andrej Meszaros . The team announced on Monday that he is going to undergo surgery to remove a small disc in his back this coming Wednesday. What kind of time frame are we looking at for a return? Try 6-8 weeks. Oy.
Of course team captain Chris Pronger is out for the remainder of the season and possibly his career is finished. Pavel Kubina, one of the reinforcements the Flyers traded for to help cover for Pronger's absence, remains on the shelf right now too. At least All-Star Kimmo Timonen returned last week after missing a few games.
Even with the MASH unit tending to the blue line, the Flyers have been thriving, particularly lately. Ilya Bryzgalov has become what every team hopes from its goalie: their best defenseman. The level he has been playing at has been as good as it was bad earlier this season.
You have to wonder though if/when Bryzgalov comes back to earth a little bit (yes, that's a veiled Universe joke) the defensive corps will be strong/healthy enough to help them keep up their winning pace.
The Flyers have won eight of their past 10 contests and have entered the conversation for the Eastern Conference's No. 1 playoff seed entering the week only three points back of the first-place Rangers.
Meszaros has seven goals and 18 assists in 62 games this season while sports a plus-6 while playing 20:40 per game.
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