Hip surgery has Comrie's career on hold

The career of veteran forward Mike Comrie is on hold indefinitely while he recovers from hip surgery following last season.

Comrie played in 21 games for the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2010-11, missing four months of action due to surgery before returning to the lineup in late March. He finished with one goal and six points and did not see action in the Penguins' first-round playoff loss to the Lightning.

"In wanting to return to play after surgery, I pushed myself too early and that has not helped my recovery," Comrie said in a statement released Monday. "I will return to the NHL when I am healthy and able to play at the level I have come to expect of myself."

Comrie was a third-round pick by Edmonton in the 1999 Entry Draft. He has had two separate stints with the Oilers while also playing for the Flyers, Coyotes, Senators, Islanders and Penguins.

A two-time 30-goal scorer and 60-point producer, Comrie has 168 goals and 365 points in 589 regular-season games. He also has four goals and 10 points in 32 playoff games and was a member of the 2007 Ottawa squad that went to the Stanley Cup Final.