Senators captain Alfredsson to undergo surgery

Oct 10, 2008 - 6:38 PM OTTAWA (Ticker) - The Ottawa Senators on Friday announced that captain Daniel Alfredsson will undergo arthroscopic surgery on his right knee.

The surgery, scheduled for Friday, is designed to remove a bone chip in the right wing's knee that was dislodged during the Senators' second game of the season against the Pittsburgh Penguins on Sunday.

"He tried this week to skate and it felt all right, but he still felt it," Ottawa coach Craig Hartsburg said. "Between the doctor and himself and us, we decided this was the best time to get it over with, so we can have a healthy Daniel Alfredsson for the rest of the year."

No timetable was given for his return.

"It's not a long-term thing," Senators general manager Bryan Murray said. "We were told that he could probably go forward with it for a little while but at some point, (the bone chip) should be removed. We thought and he thought that this was the time (to do the surgery).

"You try to suggest a time frame but to fair to him and the rest of the players, we felt we would take it as we were told and as he feels comfortable. We're assured it's not more than a couple of weeks type of thing."

Alfredsson, 35, missed 12 games last season with hip, groin and knee injuries but still finished with 40 goals and 49 assists.

In two games this season, the 13-year veteran has two assists.

In Alfredsson's absence, Dany Heatley will assume the captain responsibilities and agitator Jarkko Ruutu will move up the top line alongside Heatley and Jason Spezza.

On a positive note for the Senators, center Mike Fisher appears ready to rejoin the lineup against the Detroit Red Wings on Saturday. He had been sidelined with a groin injury.

"We lose a good player, but we're getting a good player back," Hartsburg said of Fisher's return.