With surgery likely, Flyers place Gagne on IR

AFTER THREE surgeries in the same area in 4 years, Simon Gagne wants to get it right.

That's why he traveled to Montreal today to get a second opinion on the two small hernias in his groin area that were revealed by an ultrasound Monday.

Flyers general manager Paul Holmgren, trainer Jim McCrossin and orthopedic surgeon Dr. Peter DeLuca examined all of Gagne's options yesterday, which DeLuca said included surgery.

In visiting with Dr. Rey Brown and Dr. David Mulder in Montreal, Gagne is not looking for an option to avoid surgery; hernias are not something that heal on their own.

"They need to be fixed," Holmgren said.

Instead, the trip is to make sure that everyone is on the same page.

"I don't think it's going to hurt to make sure that we get a second opinion and make sure that we see the same things in Montreal that we do in Philly," Gagne said. "For now, we know it is two hernias that need to be fixed. We just want to do this to make sure that it isn't something else."

Brown performed Gagne's groin surgery at The Montreal General Hospital in 2006.

The normal recovery time for return from hernia surgery is about 8 weeks. Gagne's visit with Brown could tell more, including the severity of the hernias and how having two surgeries affects the schedule.

"Once we get a second opinion," Holmgren said, "we can march ahead and get things done."

With surgery imminent, the Flyers placed Gagne on Long Term Injured Reserve (LTIR) retroactive to Monday, meaning that Gagne will need to sit at least 10 games and 24 days. That erases his $5.5 million salary from the cap.

With that extra room, the Flyers recalled Randy Jones - who was a victim of the cap when training camp broke in September - from Adirondack. His $3 million contract ($2.75 million cap hit) was too rich for the minutes he would play as the Flyers' fifth or sixth defenseman.

All 29 teams will have a shot to claim Jones on re-entry waivers at $1.5 million (half of his salary), which is closer to his fair market value.

Recalling Jones is a risk. If he is claimed, the Flyers are saddled with the other half of his salary, which counts against the cap. That could present a potential problem when Gagne is ready to return. After all, the whole reason the Flyers shipped Jones to Glens Falls, N.Y., was to make room for newcomers James van Riemsdyk, Blair Betts and Mika Pyorala under the cap.

Jones, 28, has one assist in six games with the Phantoms.

The Flyers are banking that Betts and Ryan Parent, who have been sidelined with injuries, are ready to return to the lineup Saturday against Carolina. That would eliminate the need for Holmgren to recall anyone else from the Phantoms.

Yesterday was originally scheduled as an off day for the players, but coach John Stevens called for a practice after Tuesday's disappointing 4-2 loss in Washington in which the Flyers blew a 2-0 lead. The Flyers will practice today and tomorrow. Stevens said they needed to earn a day off . . . Jeff Carter is in the middle of his longest scoring drought (six games) in 2 years . . . If Randy Jones does clear re-entry waivers, Danny Syvret could be reassigned to the Phantoms. He is on a two-way AHL contract. Ole-Kristian Tollefsen, who has been playing the same number of minutes, has a one-way NHL deal.

For more news and analysis, read Frank Seravalli's blog, Frequent Flyers, at http://go.philly.com/frequentflyers.