Hip and back surgeries will prevent Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Jake Gardiner from playing this season, general manager Don Waddell said Sunday.
Waddell did not divulge when Gardiner’s surgeries would take place. The 31-year-old veteran is expected to be placed on long-term injured reserve.
Gardiner recorded eight assists in 26 games during his injury-marred season of 2020-21. He missed five games from Feb. 25-March 6 with an upper-body injury and 15 more from March 8-April 9 with a back injury.
He has 277 points (49 goals, 228 assists) in 645 career games with the Toronto Maple Leafs (2011-19) and Hurricanes.
Gardiner was a first-round pick (17th overall) of the Anaheim Ducks at the 2008 NHL Draft. He was traded to the Leafs along with Joffrey Lupul and a draft pick on Feb. 9, 2011, in exchange for defenseman Francois Beauchemin.
–Field Level Media