May 14, 2009

Flyers' Jones Undergoes Surgery

Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Randy Jones, a former Clarkson standout, underwent hip surgery Wednesday in Nashville, Tenn. The surgery was considered successful, according to the team.

On Thursday, Jones spoke about his recent surgery, in which there were repairs made to his right hip including the removal of some scar tissue and tears to one of his muscles.

Although he did not want to admit it, listening to him speak it was clear that the injury which he battled for the duration of the season affected his play. Jones suffered the original injury during training camp and had surgery in October to repair a labrum in the hip. He was sidelined until late December from that surgery.

"I want to say no, but, I wasn't the same player that I was [in 2007-08], that's for sure," said Jones. "I wasn't able to skate the same, and there were a lot of parts of my game I had to change because I wasn't able to rely on my skating. There were parts of my game I felt I needed to change to kind of compensate.

"I don't ever like to use an excuse, and I never will use an excuse, but it didn't help in any way. I'll leave it like that."

In 47 games this past season, Jones had four goals and four assists for eight points. The season before, he posted five goals and 26 assists for 31 points in 71 games.

The 27-year-old blueliner is looking forward to playing next season pain-free for the first time in awhile.

"It's going to be back to how it was [in 2007-08]," he said. "100 times better. I'm not going to have any restrictions, and really no more pain, which will be fantastic. That's going to be a change to what I've been used to the last little while."

One more note on Jones: he is currently preparing for a celebrity golf tournament near his hometown of Quispamsis, New Brunswick. All of the proceeds from the 1st annual Randy Jones & Family Foundation golf tournament on June 24th will benefit the neonatal unit at St. John's (New Brunswick) hospital.