Renberg Sidelined Indefinitely

By CBSNews.com staff CBSNews.com staff

December 25, 1998 / 7:27 PM EST / CBS Sportsline

Philadelphia Flyers forward Mikael Renberg is expected to miss one to two weeks because of a left shoulder separation.

The Flyers announced Thursday the injury happened during the Flyers' 2-1 victory Wednesday night in Boston. At first, the injury was thought to be a sprain.

Although the Flyers' medical staff hasn't evaluated Renberg, the Bruins' medical staff gave an initial estimate he wouldn't be able to play for one to two weeks. Renberg went to Tampa, Fla., to spend Christmas with his family before the Flyers could examine him.

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Renberg is expected be examined by Flyers team doctors Saturday when he joins his teammates in Chicago.

"I've had this happen to me before," Renberg said. "And they said I would miss a week, but I was usually OK the next game. So, we'll see."

Renberg has one goal and one assist in five games for the Flyers since being traded back to Philadelphia from the Lightning.

"It's frustrating," Renberg said. "I finally get a chance to come back and play for the team I want, and I get hurt."

A separated shoulder will sideline Flyers forward Mikael Renberg, who's had a roller-coaster ride of a season. (AP)

separated his left shoulder when Bruins defenseman Kyle McLaren checked him into the boards. The injury came just 11 days after the Flyers shipped struggling center Chris Gratton back to Tampa Bay in a four-player deal, reniting Renberg with his former "Legion of Doom" linemates.

Playing primarily on Philadelphia's No. 2 line, though, Renberg had just one goal and one assist in five games with his original team before suffering his second significant injury of the season. Nearly dealt to Toronto for Felix Potvin before the Flyers finished the deal, Renberg had four goals and eight assists in 19 games for the Lightning, but missed time due to a broken thumb.

Last season, Renberg recorded a career-low 16 goals in 68 games, missing 14 with a broken wrist.

A native of Sweden, Renberg has 130 goals and 163 assists in 351 regular-season games. He flourished on a line with Philadelphia superstars Eric Lindros and John LeClair in his first four NHL seasons, collecting 109 goals and 241 points in 258 games.

The Flyers sent the 26-year-old Renberg to Tampa Bay Aug. 20, 1997 for four first-round draft picks after the Lightning signed him to an offer sheet. He collected 38 goals and 44 assists as a rookie in 1993-94 but averaged less than 22 goals his last four campaigns.

Keith Jones has played on Philadelphia's top line since being acquired Nov. 12 from the Colorado Avalanche. He had five goals and eight assists in his first 10 games with the team, but has just two assists in his last five.

The Flyers recently have had trouble scoring goals, failing to tally more than three in each of their last six games. But they are unbeaten during that stretch (3-0-3) and trail the first-place New Jersey Devils by just four points in the Atlantic Division.

Philadelphia returns from a two-day Christmas break Saturday to battle the Chicago Blackhawks.