Flyers defenseman Lilja has hip surgery

The Flyers, not quite defenseless but seemingly moving toward that distinction, will be without yet another blue-liner when the NHL season is scheduled to begin in October.

General manager Paul Holmgren confirmed Monday that the team's already shallow pool of defensemen will be minus Andreas Lilja, who underwent surgery in his native Sweden late last month to correct a degenerative condition in his left hip.

Lilja, 37, won't return until late October or early November at the earliest, according to Holmgren. The veteran, however, told a Swedish newspaper that his return might not be until December.

Though Lilja, who played sporadically last season, was not expected to be a 2012-13 mainstay, his surgery was one more piece of bad news for the Flyers, who have lost defensemen in a variety of ways.

Team captain Chris Pronger's career has been jeopardized by post-concussion problems that have kept him inactive since mid-December.

In July, Matt Carle signed with Tampa Bay. That month, Nashville prevented the Flyers from landing star defenseman Shea Weber by matching their $110 million offer.

Then last week, Andrej Meszaros underwent surgery for a torn Achilles, a procedure that is expected to sideline him for six to eight months.

Lilja, who has a year remaining on a deal that will pay him $735,000, will rehabilitate in Philadelphia, the team indicated.

The Flyers are slated to open the season Oct. 11. But the collective bargaining agreement expires on Sept. 15, and the NHL has vowed to lock out players if a new deal is not in place by then.