Defenseman Janne Laukkanen will not play for the Penguins until mid-November at the earliest because of a knee injury incurred while training in Finland earlier this month.
From the time he had surgery to repair a torn medial collateral ligament two weeks ago, doctors project, Laukkanen will need five to seven months before he can return to playing. He could miss anywhere from six weeks to half of the 2001-02 NHL season.
Don Baizley, Laukkanen's Winnipeg-based agent, yesterday said that although his client wasn't hurt on the ice, he was hurt while working out to stay in hockey shape. If the Penguins find Laukkanen was injured in an activity unrelated to hockey, they could challenge whether they are obligated to pay him. Laukkanen is slated to make $1.3 million next season.
Laukkanen, 31, was slowed for the final two months of this past season after his left knee was sprained in a March 10 home game against the Calgary Flames. Baizley was uncertain if Laukkanen's recent surgery was for the same knee.
The Penguins could start the season without half of their starting six defensemen from their run in the Stanley Cup playoffs. In addition to the loss of Laukkanen, the team is trying to trade Darius Kasparaitis and could lose Bob Boughner to unrestricted free agency.
General Manager Craig Patrick could not be reached for comment.
NOTES -- Bob Sauve, agent for left winger Rene Corbet, said his client did not receive a qualifying contract offer from the Penguins yesterday. Prospective restricted free agents who did not receive offers with a minimum 10 percent raise by midnight last night became unrestricted free agents. Corbet, who has scored only nine goals in two seasons with the Penguins, would have required a minimum salary of $907,500 next season. ... The Penguins had 13 other players from the 26 who finished the playoffs on their roster slated to be restricted free agents, and it is believed all of them were tendered qualifying offers before midnight. The Penguins retain rights to those players. ... Four others became unrestricted free agents, allowing them to shop their services to any NHL team. They are left winger Josef Beranek, defensemen Marc Bergevin and Boughner, and goaltender Garth Snow.
Laukkanen out until at least November 
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