Flyers Notes: Hextall says Gostisbehere surgery goes well

MONTREAL - Shayne Gostisbehere's surgery to repair a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee could not have gone better, Flyers general manager Ron Hextall said.

Hextall said it was "only the ACL" that was affected.

"Sometimes there are other elements involved, but there was nothing else," Hextall said before Saturday's game in Montreal. "The information was as good as we could have gotten."

Gostisbehere, 21, a heralded defensive prospect who played two games with the Flyers before being sent back to the AHL Phantoms, will probably resume playing in three to three and a half months, Hextall said.

In the meantime, he will rehab in Philadelphia under the guidance of Flyers trainer Jim McCrossin.

During Flyers games, Gostisbehere will sit next to Kjell Samuelsson, who works in the team's player development department.

"He can watch [Michael] Del Zotto and [Mark] Streit and the other defensemen, and he can learn a lot," Hextall said. "He can find a way in the next few months to get better. Just by watching, you can learn a lot - and be better for it when he comes back."

Other injury updates: Defenseman Luke Schenn (left shoulder) is making progress, and Hextall said there was a "chance" he could play Wednesday against the host New York Rangers. But Thursday against visiting Minnesota seems more realistic.

Andrew MacDonald, a first-pair defenseman before injuring his right knee blocking a shot Oct. 22, has resumed skating, and Hextall said he would probably return in a week, if not sooner.

Sam Morin, the promising 6-foot-6 defenseman who is sidelined with a broken jaw, will return to action Saturday for his junior team, Rimouski Oceanic, Hextall said.

Jake Voracek entered the night second in the NHL with 24 points, one behind the Penguins' Sidney Crosby. Hextall on Voracek's offseason training program: "He made a strong commitment this summer; he took his professional career to another level."