Nate Thompson's left shoulder paid the price for the Anaheim Ducks' playoff run.
Doctors discovered two labral tears when Thompson underwent shoulder surgery Thursday and the veteran forward's recovery time is estimated at five-to-six months.
Thompson suffered an upper-body injury in the Ducks' regular-season finale and missed the opening round of the playoffs but he returned to record six points while averaging more than 15 minutes of time on ice in 12 playoff appearances. The 30-year-old was also one of the Ducks' leading penalty killers in the postseason.
A five-month recovery timeline puts Thompson on pace to rejoin the Ducks halfway through November, but December seems like a more reasonable estimate. He will almost certainly miss the first six weeks of the season.
