Messier Has Shoulder Surgery

(NEW YORK) - Mark Messier had successful shoulder surgery on Friday, with the New York Rangers saying it's too early to predict when he'll return to the lineup. <br><br>``He had surgery in the

Friday, March 1st 2002, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

(NEW YORK) - Mark Messier had successful shoulder surgery on Friday, with the New York Rangers saying it's too early to predict when he'll return to the lineup.

``He had surgery in the morning and everything is fine,'' a Rangers spokesman said. ``He'll begin rehab immediately, but remains out indefinitely.

The arthroscopic surgery on his left shoulder was performed by team orthopedist Dr. Andrew Feldman, at St. Vincent's Hospital.

The Rangers said Thursday that Messier would be out at least 4-to-6 weeks. The regular season ends on April 14.

``I don't know exactly what I'm faced with,'' Messier said before his first surgery in his 23 NHL seasons. ``But from what I'm told, I'll be out six weeks to three months. I'm hoping I'm more in the six-week category.''

General manager Glen Sather thinks Messier could return before that if everything went perfectly. He also knows Messier could be out much longer.

``They'll take out some bone spurs and repair any torn fragments,'' Sather said. ``But you don't know what they'll find in there. It's well known that the rehab could be anywhere from three weeks to six months.''