The Devils’ all-time leading scorer wouldn’t say he’s upset or worried, but he’s going for more tests on the injury he thought he had surgically repaired.
Patrik Elias plans to visit a specialist in Philadelphia Tuesday instead of joining his teammates in their first official practice today in Newark.
“I’m just trying to get healthy, that’s all — be 100 percent to do my job for a long time,” said Elias, who went for an independent diagnosis that revealed a torn hip labrum and underwent surgery on June 12. He says he’s still bothered by the groin injury he wanted treated in the first place.
“I had issues, I got it fixed and I’m still not 100 percent. I’m trying to see why it’s not 100 percent. I think after three months, I should be getting better,” said Elias, the former Devils captain and reigning Czech Player of the Year.
“There’s no point in me trying to go through the pain, or test it. I don’t want to give myself a deadline like [Opening Night] Oct. 3, play 10 games and then miss 10 games. Get this done,” Elias said.
Elias said he was told his groin injury to an adductor muscle probably was caused by the cartilage tear in his hip.
“I didn’t have issues with the hip,” Elias said. He had the cartilage repaired, some material removed from his hip and was supposed to be ready by now.
“It’s in the groin. My hip feels great,” Elias said.
GM Lou Lamoriello said “that’s the privilege of the player,” to seek a second opinion, and said Elias sought his after full consultation with the team’s medical staff.
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Devils invited former Sabres enforcer Andrew Peters to camp on a tryout basis. With 557 penalty minutes in 200 NHL games, Peters could be called upon to combat the presence of Donald Brashear with the Rangers.