It is not the hot tub calling Wojtek Wolski, but rather the surgeon’s operating room.
The Rangers winger, called out earlier in the season by coach John Tortorella for the length of time it was taking him to get back from a groin issue that first developed in training camp, will undergo surgery today to repair a sports hernia. The procedure will be performed by Dr. William Meyers at Core Performance Physicians in Philadelphia.
It is expected Wolski will be out for the next month.
Wolski, who played the season-opener then was sidelined for the following four games due to the groin injury (and was then scratched from the next contest), returned to the lineup for five games beginning Oct. 24 before aggravating the problem in the first period of last Thursday’s match against Anaheim.
Following practice in Vancouver on Oct. 19, a day after Wolski missed his third game, Tortorella said, “Can’t get him out of the tub,” when asked for an update on the condition of the winger, who, in fact, had participated in practice.
The 25-year-old, who was placed on injured reserve on Friday, recorded two points (0-2) in six games.
Mike Rupp, who has been sidelined for the last six games with an injured left knee, is scheduled to undergo an arthroscopy tomorrow.