Penguins defenseman Olli Maatta will undergo surgery to remove a tumor in his neck that could potentially be cancerous, but neither the procedure nor the tumor is expected to limit his playing career or have a real long-term impact on his life.
Penguins defenseman Olli Maatta has tumor, will undergo surgery
Olli Maatta of the Penguins has a tumor in his neck that could potentially be “low-grade thyroid cancer,” but after surgery scheduled for next week, he’s expected to make a full recovery.
Claus Andersen
Maatta, who is 20 years old and was a first-round pick of the Penguins in 2012, will continue playing for Pittsburgh up until the date of his surgery next week, which gives you the sense that this isn’t all that serious -- at least relatively speaking.
“Olli will have surgery to remove the tumor,” said Penguins team doctor Dharmesh Vyas in a prepared statement. “Even if it is found to be cancerous, we do not expect that he will need radiation or chemotherapy, and we anticipate a complete recovery. In all likelihood, Olli will go on to live a healthy life and this should not affect his ability to play hockey long-term.”
Maatta is expected to be out four weeks following the surgery. The tumor was discovered during preseason physicals and the diagnosis was made recently, according to the team.
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