Ottawa Senators captain Daniel Alfredsson will have back surgery on Friday, and will need about four-to-six weeks to recover.
The 38-year-old was bothered by a lower back injury last season, and was shut down in February after 54 games.
"He's done a lot of rehab and he felt to continue his career at the level he wants to, it's the right thing to do," general manager Bryan Murray said. "The procedure is just to relieve a little pressure on a nerve that has taken away some of the strength in his leg (which has) effected his skating.
"We've been told by doctors it's four to six weeks, so it gives him until around August to get started. Knowing him, he'll be fit for training camp."
Alfredsson finished the year with 14 goals and 17 assists, and had a career-worst minus-19 rating.
In other news, Murray is looking to have a new head coach hired by the end of the week.
"I've had a nice number of interviews, some really good interviews, and it's a dilemma every time you pick a coach because you hear a lot of good things from different people and it's a matter of who you believe at the end of the day will carry it through when they get a chance to be the coach."
