Michalek, Asham out 2 weeks

Associated Press

PITTSBURGH

Penguins defenseman Zbynek Michalek and forward Arron Asham are expected to be out about two weeks with shoulder injuries.

Michalek hurt his right shoulder on Monday at New Jersey and sat out Wednesday against Toronto.

Asham injured his left shoulder late in the preseason and did not play during the first week of the regular season. He skated in practice Thursday but is expected to miss another two weeks.

Brooks Orpik is sitting out with an injured groin, leaving the Penguins with only six healthy defensemen for their 4-3 loss to the Maple Leafs.

Meanwhile, center Jordan Staal is skating for the first time since last season.

Staal underwent surgery during a second-round playoff series against Montreal to repair a sliced tendon in his right foot. He returned late in the series, but subsequently developed infections that required treatment for several months.

Staal couldn’t work out or train due to the infections, and he missed all of training camp last month. He resumed skating this week, but the Penguins don’t know when he can resume playing.

Staal, one of the NHL’s best two-way forwards, still must regain strength in his right leg, which is weaker than his left, and go through training camp-like conditioning before he can practice.

Devils

NEWARK, N.J.

New Jersey Devils right wing Brian Rolston has had surgery to repair a sports hernia.

The Devils say Rolston had the procedure done in Philadelphia on Thursday. He probably will be sidelined 4-6 weeks.

The 16-year veteran was placed on long-term injured reserve, freeing $5 million off the salary cap. The short-handed Devils, who started with 20 players on the roster, recalled defenseman Matt Corrente and centers Tim Sestito and Jacob Josefson from Albany of the AHL.

The Devils also disclosed that defenseman Mark Fraser has a broken right hand. GM Lou Lamoriello said Fraser’s hand probably was broken in a first-period fight with Buffalo’s Cody McCormick last night. The Devils won in overtime, 1-0.

Rolston, who scored 20 goals last season, was injured in New Jersey’s loss at Washington on Saturday.

Ducks

ANAHEIM, Calif.

Defenseman Toni Lydman has been cleared to make his debut for the Anaheim Ducks after sitting out the past month with a strange case of double vision.

The Ducks cleared their free-agent signee on Thursday. He could play in tonight’s home game against Atlanta.

Lydman fell ill shortly before the start of his first training camp with the Ducks, who signed the Finnish defenseman to a three-year, $9 million contract in the offseason. Doctors speculated his double vision was related to migraine headaches.

Lydman returned to practice with the Ducks earlier this month, but wasn’t cleared for contact drills.

Anaheim also reassigned defenseman Brett Festerling to its AHL affiliate in Syracuse.