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Filip Kuba could miss first round of playoffs

Filip Kuba, Derek Roy

Ottawa Senators defenseman Filip Kuba, of the Czech Republic, right, looks back on an injured Buffalo Sabres center Derek Roy during the third period of the NHL hockey game in Buffalo, N.Y. on Saturday, Dec. 26, 2009. Ottawa won in the shootout 3-2. (AP Photo/Don Heupel)

AP

There weren’t many “casualties” from the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics - at least compared to 2006 when Dominik Hasek went down with a serious injury - but Ottawa Senators defenseman Filip Kuba appears to be one of them. After trying to rehab the injury, Kuba was forced to have surgery on his back because of a herniated disk on Tuesday night according to NHL.com.

Senators general manager Bryan Murray confirmed earlier today that the veteran defenceman will be sidelined for the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs.

“We suspect he’s out for the next four weeks, at least,” said Murray. "(It looks like) we certainly have to get into the second round, at this point in time, for him to be available to us at all. But let’s hope that’s the case and somewhere down the line, it would be a nice addition to have if we go deep into the playoffs.

The article also discussed the Senators fall-back plans.

With Kuba on the shelf, the Senators will look toward Brian Lee as their seventh defenceman, behind the pairings of Chris Phillips-Anton Volchenkov, Andy Sutton-Erik Karlsson and Chris Campoli-Matt Carkner. Last year’s top draft pick, Jared Cowen, is also with the team, now that his Spokane Chiefs have been eliminated from the Western Hockey League playoffs.