Fansided

Trevor Daley undergoes knee surgery, out six weeks

By Dave Holcomb

Feb 7, 2017; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Trevor Daley (6) skates with the puck against the Calgary Flames during the second period at the PPG PAINTS Arena. The Flames won 3-2 in a shootout. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 7, 2017; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Trevor Daley (6) skates with the puck against the Calgary Flames during the second period at the PPG PAINTS Arena. The Flames won 3-2 in a shootout. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Pittsburgh Penguins are officially out of crutches.

Pittsburgh announced Thursday 33-year-old defenseman Trevor Daley underwent successful arthroscopic surgery in his left knee. The timetable for his return ranges around six weeks, allowing him back in time for the postseason.

This is the third major injury the Penguins have suffered on their blue line within a week’s time. Olli Maatta broke his hand and Justin Schultz sustained a concussion last Thursday versus the Winnipeg Jets. Maatta’s injury also rules him out for six weeks while Shultz is in the league’s concussion protocol.

If Daley does indeed return in six weeks time, he will be back on the ice for the final few regular season games.

With such a depleted defense, Penguins general manager Jim Rutherford had virtually no choice but to trade for a defenseman. He did just that Thursday morning, acquiring Ron Hainsey from the Hurricanes for a second-round pick and prospect Danny Kristo.

The initial reaction to the trade is mixed. Hainsey, 35, figures to be a bottom-pairing defenseman and is strictly a rental player for Pittsburgh, so that’s somewhat of a high price to pay. Kristo is a career AHL player, so the Penguins will hardly miss him, and Pittsburgh retained its first-round pick while acquiring a depth defenseman that should fit nicely into the lineup.

Rutherford is quite familiar with Hainsey, having signed him as a free agent when he was the general manager of the Hurricanes in 2013.

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Hainsey is in his 14th NHL season and has never played in the playoffs. He has four goals and 14 points with a minus-16 rating and 50.5 Corsi For Percentage in 56 games this season. However, whatever he supplies offensively in Pittsburgh will be a bonus. Hainsey averages 22:20 per game, which will give the Penguins some much needed ice time, and he is a strong penalty killer.

Daley has five goals and 19 points with a plus-9 rating while averaging 20:18 minutes this season.

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