Devils Elias to miss beginning of the season

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Devils' Elias to miss start of seasonESPN.com news services

The New Jersey Devils will begin the season without one of their key on-ice leaders.

Elias

Patrik Elias will miss training camp and the beginning of the season as he is recovering from a severe case of hepatitis A, The Newark Star-Ledger reported.

Hepatitis A is a liver disease caused by the hepatitis A virus. Elias, 29, is believed to have contracted the illness while playing in Russia during the NHL lockout. He lost 30 pounds and was hospitalized in the Czech Republic for almost a month.

Elias played for Znojemsti Excalibur Orli in the Czech Republic before signing with Magnitogorsk Metallurg to play with former Devils teammate Petr Sykora in the Russian League.

After a Feb. 27 game against Dynamo, Elias had permission to remain in Moscow when the team had the following day off. On March 1, he tried to fly to Magnitogorsk to rejoin the team but developed flu-like symptoms.

Because Elias will start the season on injured reserve, he automatically will miss the first 10 games of the season.

"I can't put a date on [a return]. If I do too much, I'll get a pain in the liver area. It expands and pushes on your pancreas," Elias told the Star-Ledger.

Elias told the newspaper that it wouldn't be fair for the Devils players to name him captain while he wasn't able to practice or play in games.

Despite being sidelined now, Elias said he didn't regret playing in Russia during the lockout.

"... There are so many ways you can catch that. I got sick at the beginning of March in Russia, but the virus can be in your system for three years," Elias told the newspaper. "Something could have triggered it or I might've gotten it there from water or food. I also had surgery done on the bottom of my foot and had a [wound] for a while. Who knows? I should've gotten a vaccine."

Coach Larry Robinson acknowledged that it's hard for Elias to sit out training camp, but it's what's best for Elias and the team.

"For an athlete, it's always hard watching your colleagues go out there and play," Robinson told the Star-Ledger. "In his case, his health is more important than his feelings. We're being very careful. This is not something like a head cold or sprained knee. He was seriously ill."

To get him on the roster the Devils will have to shed salary when he is healthy

[TomShane]

Do you think Patrick Elias gets preferential treatment when his stats are taken down at the Elias Sports Bureau? You know, like they slip him an extra goal every so often?