Simon Gagne will have surgery on Tuesday, November 3 and will miss th next 6-to-8 weeks. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/NHLI via Getty Images)

UPDATE: 11.02.2009 / 1:26 PM

(Voorhees, NJ) - Flyers general manager Paul Holmgren released the following statement regarding Simon Gagne's surgery:

“Simon Gagne had successful surgery done this morning by Dr. William Meyers at Hanhemann University Hospital. The surgery was to repair tears in Simon’s abdominal wall as well as repair a small hernia near his umbilicus (belly button). Simon will begin rehab in a few days and is expected to be out of the line-up for 6-to-8 weeks.” 

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(Philadelphia, PA) - Flyers general manager Paul Holmgren announced that forward Simon Gagne will have surgery on two small hernias in his right groin and will miss the next six-to-eight weeks.

Below are quotes from Gagne, who talked with a Flyers spokesman, and from Holmgren, who spoke with the local media prior to the Flyers-Tampa Bay Lightning game at the Wachovia Center.

Q: Talk about the decision you made today.
Simon Gagne: “Well, after meeting with three doctors and a different opinion on a lot of things, we went right to the bottom [of it] to make sure we were making the right decision for myself, for the team and for the future, to go and do the surgery. So basically now we are going to go ahead and do the surgery and after that get on a program after the surgery to make sure those types of injuries don’t happen to me anymore.”
 
Q: You’re going to be out six-to-eight weeks. How disappointed are you to hear this news?
SG: “It’s hard to take because surgery you usually try and stay away from during the season. The off-season is there for that. At the same time, there’s never good timing in the season to have surgery, but it’s still early in the season. I’ll miss close to two months and I’ll have time to get back in shape and get my game back and feeling 100 percent when I’m skating. That’s something I wasn’t able to do right now.

"That’s why I think the decision was made to go ahead and do the surgery. After that I’ll be ready to have a strong end of the season and be 100 percent, then I’ll be healthy. But to be 100 percent and ready for the playoffs, I think it’s the right decision. It’s something that’s been kind of bothering me for a long time, not only this year, but from last season.

"I think we made the right decision to go ahead and fix everything. After that, like I said, I’ll get on a special program that a lot of others have had and had no problems in their career that followed. If I follow that and get the surgery I should be good. I want to stay away from that type of injury in the future.”

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Holmgren: "Simon is going to have surgery tomorrow (Tuesday) to reinforce the rectus abdominis on both sides, and at the same time he’s going to look and see, laparoscopically, through his belly button, at the small hernias that we saw, and he’ll repair those as well.  This is Dr. [William] Meyers at Hahnemann. We’re probably looking at six-to-eight weeks before [Gagne is] ready."

Q: [Dr. Meyers] is known for being minimally invasive. Was that one of the reason you went with him?
PH: “Yeah. He’s had repairs in both those areas before, so the doctor can just go through the same place. They’re small incisions. Go in, reinforce the area, and look at the small hernias that we saw on the ultrasound. That’s kind of a different procedure. But it’s over. We finally know, and we’re confident that Simon will return in six to eight weeks.”

Q: Is that what the delay was about?
PH: “It was more to just make sure Simon was feeling comfortable with what was going on. I think deep down, he just wanted to know, which is right. It does seem frustrating at times, but at the end of the day you’ve got to trust the player. Simon’s been through a lot and we just wanted to make sure we get it right.”

Q: Do any of the doctors suggest that you’re more susceptible to these injuries recurring once they’ve happened once or twice?
PH: “I don’t know. I guess you could say it seems that way, but there have been players in all sports who have had procedures like this done that don’t have recurrences. So, I don’t know.”

Q: On the team personnel.
PH: “We’ve got to continue to lean on the guys we’ve got. I think some of our young players will come up, obviously James [van Riemsdyk] has played very well. I thought David Laliberte had a good game last game. It’ll be nice to have Danny back…I don’t think that’s a long-term thing right now. And the other guys just have to pick it up.”