Simon Gagne answered questions about his decision to undergo surgery on Tuesday. He also said the injury has been “bothering me for a long time,” dating back to last season:

“It’s hard, it’s hard to take because surgery you usually try and stay away from during the season. The off-season is there for that. At the same time there’s never good timing in the season to have surgery, but it’s still early in the season. I’ll miss close to two months and I’ll have time to get back in shape and get my game back and feeling 100 percent when I’m skating. That’s something I wasn’t able to do right now. That’s why I think the decision was made to go ahead and do the surgery. After that I’ll be ready to have a strong end of the season and be 100 percent, then I’ll be healthy. But to be 100 percent and ready for the playoffs, I think it’s the right decision. It’s something that’s been kind of bothering me for a long time, not only this year, but from last season. I think we made the right decision to go ahead and fix everything. After that, like I said, I’ll get on a special program that a lot of others have had and had no problems in their career that followed. If I follow that and get the surgery I should be good. I want to stay away from that type of injury in the future.”

Simon Gagne is having surgery on Tuesday, but it’s unknown if it will be just one surgery or two:

Two surgeries are scheduled, but it’s possible only one will be performed.

The first surgery will be to strengthen the rectus abdominis muscles to prevent groin or abdominal injuries. The second surgery will be to repair two small hernias – if the hernias are, in fact, present.

Regardless, Gagne will miss six to eight weeks, according to general manager Paul Holmgren.

Afterward, Gagne said he will “get on a program … to make sure those types of injuries don’t happen to me anymore.”

For more coverage of Gagne and the Flyers, visit SB Nation’s Broad Street Hockey.

Per Philly.com:

Flyers left winger Simon Gagne will have hernia and abdominal surgery Tuesday and will miss six to eight weeks, general manger Paul Holmgren said.

Holmgren said the Flyers have no plans to recall any other players from the AHL Phantoms.

Gagne was diagnosed with a double hernia last week, but has delayed making a decision on his course of action until after seeing a number of specialists. After contemplating the merits of alternative methods to deal with the injury, he's decided surgery was the best option.

After 34 goals and 74 points in 2008-09, Gagne has one goal and four assists in nine games this season.