Andreas Lijla says he’s out 4 months, as Flyers lose another defenseman

Brother, can you spare the Philadelphia Flyers a defenseman?

The Flyers blueline took another hit on Sunday as it was reported in Swedish newspaper Helsinborgs Dagblad that Andreas Lilja will miss four months after undergoing hip surgery.

If you're counting at home that's Lilja (hip), Andrej Meszaros (Achilles) and Chris Pronger (concussion), who the Flyers will be without for some period of time (or likely all in Pronger's case) during the 2012-13 season.

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Holmgren: Lilja could return sooner than Dec.

The Flyers already depleted blueline took on another casualty this weekend as the club confirmed a Swedish newspaper report that Andreas Lilja had hip injury and will miss the season’s start.

What the Flyers and Lilja don’t agree on is the timeline for the 37-year-old defenseman.

Newspaper Helsingborgs Dadblad, in a story translated by Hockeybuzz’s Bill Meltzer, quoted the Flyers defenseman as saying he had persistent pain that did not go away last season, was diagnosed with a degenerative hip condition, and that surgery was recommended.

Lilja told the paper he might not be able to return until December – four months.

Flyers general manager Paul Holmgren doesn’t agree.

“He did have surgery [and] should be back late October or early November,” Holmgren texted CSNPhilly.com on Sunday afternoon.

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