Numminen Needs Heart Surgery

[The Comish]

Not that he\'s a big guy fantasy wise, but he did have 29 points and was +17 last year. I had to cut and paste because I couldn\'t figure out how to insert a hyperlink.

From TSN.ca:

BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) - Sabres defenceman Teppo Numminen needs surgery to correct a heart condition.

The Sabres didn\'t know Thursday when Numminen will have the procedure. He did not report for team physicals on Thursday and is consulting with team physicians.

\'\'After undergoing examination in connection with his pre-season evaluation, the Buffalo Sabres medical team has determined that (Numminen) requires surgery to correct a cardiac condition,\'\' general manager Darcy Regier said in a statement.

Numminen\'s agent, Don Baizley, was not immediately available for comment.

Numminen, 39, has already had two heart surgeries for an irregular heartbeat, including one in the summer of 2006 after the condition forced him to miss one game and part of another during that year\'s first-round playoff series against Philadelphia. Regier said the current surgery will be different from the two previous.

\'\'It\'s early in the process,\'\' Regier said. \'\'We\'ll move along at his schedule and see where he goes with it and what he wants to do.\'\'

Regier didn\'t know how much time Numminen will miss.

Numminen was the team\'s alternate captain this past season, and finished with 29 points in 79 games.

The native of Finland has had a heart murmur since childhood, and was diagnosed with a dilated aorta in March 2004 when he was with the Dallas Stars. He missed five games because of the condition before being cleared to play.

[narduch]

And the Sabres show they have little class by suspending him:

Hours after learning he will require a third heart surgery, defenseman Teppo Numminen was suspended by the Buffalo Sabres Thursday night without pay for failing to report to camp in good physical condition; that according to a report in this morning\'s Buffalo News.

http://www.letsgosabres.com/pressbox...p?newsid=10420

[The Comish]

I\'m really hoping that\'s a salary cap move and that they gave Numminen the scoop. Otherwise, that a pretty crappy thing to do.