Jaroslav Halak has successfully undergone surgery to repair a core injury, often referred to as a sports hernia.
Because the season is over, the New York Islanders No. 1 goaltender is not being pushed to recover quickly. Each patient’s recovery time from this surgery is unique. In May, Newsday‘s Arthur Staple estimated a recovery time of six to eight weeks.
“If everything goes according to plan, he’ll be 100 per cent in August,” Halak’s agent, Allan Walsh, told Sportsnet.
Halak is still planning to play for Team Europe at the World Cup of Hockey in September.
The 31-year-old Slovakia native suffered a groin injury on March 8 (watch above) that sidelined him for the remainder of the regular season as well as the entirety of the Islanders’ playoff run.
He appeared in 36 games for New York this season, registering a 18-13-1 record with a .919 save percentage and 2.30 goals-against average.
With Halak out of the lineup, 30-year-old backup Thomas Greiss backstopped the Isles to their first playoff series victory in 13 years.
Greiss posted a .925 save percentage in the regular season and a .923 mark over 11 playoff games, earning a late-addition spot on Team Europe himself.
The German’s solid play in relief, coupled with seven promising appearances from 24-year-old prospect Jean-Francios Berube (.914 save percentage), has led to speculation that the Islanders might consider trading a veteran goalie this off-season.
Halak is signed through 2017-18 at a $4.5 million salary cap hit. Greiss has one more season at $1.5 million, while Berube becomes a restricted free agent on July 1. None have trade protection.
Walsh added he has no idea if the Islanders plan to move forward with three goaltenders or trade one of them.
