Flyers Center Sean Couturier Undergoes Season-Ending Back Surgery

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Sean Couturier underwent back surgery Friday at Pennsylvania Hospital and will miss the rest of the season. Couturier is expected to be ready by next season's training camp.

Flyers general manager Chuck Fletcher says Couturier began having back issues in the fall.

"This wasn't an issue that was bothering him coming into this year," Fletcher said. "He started having issues in the fall, tried to battle through. We tried to treat things non-surgically. Couple epidurals to be exact and trying to resolve the issue that was there. Ultimately, you try to do your best to avoid back surgery if you can, but ultimately the doctor and Sean felt confident that the best way to resolve this going forward would be to have this surgical intervention."

Fletcher says the recovery from the type of back surgery Couturier underwent is about three months.

Couturier missed the Flyers' last 17 games with the injury and finishes the season with 17 points in 29 games. His eight-year, $62 million contract extension he signed before the season kicks in next year.

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