Avs' Alex Tanguay has hip surgery; done for season

The inevitable has finally occurred for Alex Tanguay, what was supposed to be the Colorado Avalanche left winger's triumphant return to the team that drafted him 16 years ago has turned into a nightmare of pain and disappointment.

Tanguay underwent surgery on his bothersome hip on Friday morning, ending his season and possibly his career - his 2013/14 campaign lasting all of 16 games before being felled by knee, groin and hip issues...

...and given that this will have been his second surgery on the hip on top of a protracted history of knee ailments and combined with age, one has to think that the possibility of his career being shortened drastically or even being over must be considered.

If so, his four goals and eleven assists scored this season will be the last of 253 goals and 520 assists in his productive NHL Career.  He also has 19 goals and 40 assists in 98 playoff games and helped the Avalanche to the Stanley Cup Championship in his second year in the league.

Taken twelfth overall in the 1998 NHL Entry Draft, Tanguay played six seasons with the Avalanche before being dealt off to Calgary where he enjoyed career numbers in  his first season, but clashed mightily with the coaching staff in his second year and requested a trade.  He spent a year in Montreal, then a year in Tampa Bay before resigning with the Flames once they made a coaching change and spent three years reestablishing himself as an offensive force.

The rebuilding Flames traded him back to Colorado this past offseason.

"I haven't had my best year yet in the NHL, I really feel that," Tanguay said upon his arrival after the trade last summer. "I have a big chip on my shoulder about that, I realize. I feel I can still perform, and I'm so happy to be back in Denver where I have so many great memories."

The excitement of being back on the Avalanche and being coached by ex-Avs' teammate Patrick Roy lasted all of 16 games, Roy sounding as if this might be it for the veteran.

"He's going to have surgery on his hip, but the reason why he is out is for the knee," Roy said after Thursday's practice. "The knee isn't doing better. I guess it's a mix of the hip and the knee." then adding, "In the back of our minds, we were hoping not, but at the same time with Alex in the lineup I think we are 15-1. He's an important player, but I think we did well without him."

The Avs have done well, their 79 points good for the fifth seed currently in the tough Western Conference, a full 15 points north of the cut off line with 24 games to go and only five points shy of the Blues and Blackhawks for the lead in the Central Division...

...and with two games remaining against each on top of a less-than-imposing stretch schedule, the Avalanche could very well make a lot of noise come playoff time - and though the Avalanche wish they could do so with Tanguay in the lineup, Roy hit the nail on the head when saying that they've gotten this far without him.

http://www.sportsinjuryalert.com/2014/02/avs-alex-tanguay-has-hip-surgery-done.html#.UwfTz4Ucq58