Rangers' Michael Del Zotto will miss 4 weeks after hernia surgery

Rangers defenseman Michael Del Zotto underwent successful surgery in Philadelphia on Thursday to repair a sports hernia, the team said, and estimated a recovery time of four weeks.

Del Zotto, 22, played 46 regular-season games, posting three goals and 18 assists, and all 12 playoff games, with a goal and assist. He led all team defensemen in points and assists, but even in the shortened season, the numbers dipped. 

In 2011-12, he had 10 goals and 31 assists in 77 games and was a plus-20. He was a plus-6 this season, but shaky near the end, including a minus-5 in the five-game conference semifinals against the Bruins.

Del Zotto is the third Blueshirt known to have surgery this offseason. Ryan Callahan and Carl Hagelin each had procedures to fix torn labrums in their left shoulders on May 31 and are expected to miss training camp and perhaps the early part of next season.