Penguins' Laukkanen Not Expected to Play Until November Wednesday September 05, 2001 10:09 PM PITTSBURGH (AP) - Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Janne Laukkanen is expected be sidelined until November with a knee injury that occurred during a floor hockey game before a bachelor party for former teammate Sami Salo. Laukkanen initially injured his right knee during the makeshift game involving several NHL players in June on a small island about six hours off the coast of Finland. He later twisted the knee during a playful wrestling match that also occurred before the party, but he did not think the injury was serious. The next day, the knee was so swollen that Laukkanen couldn't walk, and he later needed an operation after a torn anterior cruciate ligament was diagnosed. The Penguins allowed him to have the surgery in Finland. Laukkanen is not expected to resume skating for another month. The Penguins open training camp Tuesday. He is riding an exercise bicycle and lifting weights, and reports no swelling or pain in the knee. Laukkanen, who will make $1.3 million this season, missed 32 games last season, mostly because of unrelated knee injuries.
