Former Kings defenseman Rob Scuderi requires surgery for broken ankle

A moment – or actually, 276 of them – of appreciation for Rob Scuderi.

The seemingly indestructible hockey player is, alas, out of action for an indefinite period.

Scuderi, the former Kings defenseman, signed with the Pittsburgh Penguins as a free agent in July, rejoining his old team. His streak of 276 consecutive games played ended on Monday night when he was unable to go against Carolina because of a broken ankle, which will require surgery.

Scuderi, who was a plus-five in 11 games with one assist, was injured at Toronto on Saturday when he took a hit from the Maple Leafs’ David Clarkson. He will have the surgery this week, the Penguins said.

Those who have spent time covering Scuderi were used to seeing him getting abused like a pinata – cue up the Devils’ Steve Bernier in Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Final in 2012. He would leave games for repairs, and instead of heading to the hospital eventually he almost always came back.

Scuderi often downplayed the extent and pain of an injury. When still with the Kings, his eye looked truly awful after a hit from behind by the Blue Jackets’ Brandon Dubinsky in February last season.

“Bark’s worse than the bite,” he told me the next day in Nashville.

Let’s hope Scuderi is back out there with the big dogs before too much time passes.

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