LOS ANGELES (AP) -Los Angeles Kings defenseman Matt Greene will be out for about three months after having surgery on his left shoulder.

Kings spokesman Mike Kalinowski said Thursday that Greene recently had surgery to fix several minor problems in his shoulder. Greene's recovery likely will keep him out of uniform through the start of the regular season Oct. 9.

Greene scored nine points in 75 games as an assistant captain for Los Angeles last season. The stay-at-home defenseman blocked 126 shots and finished ninth in the league with 238 hits.

Greene's absence further hurts the Kings' depth on defense. Veteran Sean O'Donnell left for Philadelphia as a free agent, and Randy Jones isn't expected to return.Copyright © 2005 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. The information contained in the AP News report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press.