Flyers GM Holmgren says Sbisa's groin injury won't jeopardize trade

Despite keeping quiet about a groin injury he had through last season, Luca Sbisa's trade to Anaheim is not in trouble, according to Flyers general manager Paul Holmgren.

Sbisa said yesterday that he injured his groin during training camp last season and had pain on and off through the season. He said he had an MRI but was advised by his doctors he would be able to avoid surgery.

"In September and October, the first couple of preseason games I hurt my groin," he said yesterday. "I didn't say a whole lot to the organization because I just wanted to make the team no matter what. It would come and go during the whole season.

"It would be bad for 3 or 4 days, but it would be good for another month. It was always like that. Before I went back home, I went to the doctor and did an MRI and all that kind of stuff.

"We were kind of thinking about surgery, yes or no, but at the end we just came to the conclusion that I should just work out, work especially on my groin.

"It's all good. It is nothing serious. It is not a big deal. I just felt really uncomfortable working out back home [in Switzerland] by myself. That's why I came back over here to work out with [trainer] Jimmy McCrossin so I have a better feeling about everything.

"It is a very important season for me next year and I just want to be at 100 percent."

Asked if he felt the deal that brought veteran defenseman Chris Pronger to the Flyers for Joffrey Lupul, Sbisa and two first-round draft picks would be reversed by the injury, Holmgren said it would not.

"I've talked to [Ducks executive vice president and general manager] Bob Murray and we did not consider it an issue," he said yesterday. "Luca is actually here right now. He came in early for our conditioning camp, which starts a week from today.

"We knew there was a little bit of an issue that we were going to check out. They are aware of it and I am sure they are going to check it out." *