[chilly666]

The Ottawa Senators will be without number one center Jason Spezza indefinitely. General Manager Bryan Murray informed the media on Thursday the 29 year old will undergo surgery to repair a herniated disc in his back.

The Senators don't have any timetable for his return. They are hopeful — provided recovery goes smoothly — that Spezza will be able to return later this season or for a potential playoff run.

While Spezza does have somewhat of a history with back injuries, there were no indicators that he would encounter any problems this season. He had a successful campaign earlier in Switzerland before winning a gold medal with Team Canada at the Spengler Cup. It wasn't until a flare up in last Sunday's game vs. Pittsburgh that it became apparent he needed to be examined.

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