Martin: "Like getting kicked in the nuts, only super hard."

First it was Glenn Howard. Now Kevin Martin.

These old guys are really, well, um, getting old.

It was announced that Martin underwent surgery yesterday for a hernia. It’s the ailment that prevented him from playing well at the recent Canada Cup. He Tweeted that the operation, done in New Westminster by Dr. Konkin, went well.

Howard had a similar operation over a year ago, although he managed to have his during the off-season.

I’m sure the old dogs were comparing notes and groins in the locker rooms in Moose Jaw (OK, maybe not groins).

In any case, Martin, who will sit out this week’s Grand Slam in Kelowna (he’d being replaced by Joe Frans), described – in detail – to the Edmonton Journal how it felt to play with the problem.

“I just couldn’t slide too long,” he said. “What happens, when you’re first going out of the hack, it’ll pop and your intestines come out. That’s fine and the pressure releases. Then I’m about halfway out, maybe at the back line or the T-line and it feels pretty good, but as soon as you go lower, basically your leg and your body squeeze the intestines together, so every time I shot it was like getting kicked in the nuts, only like super hard.

“Squeeze yourintestines for five, six seconds straight,” he added. “I’m not sure if there’sanything worse, but it’s really bad.”

Hmmm. . . great. Your intestines popping out during your slide. I’d say this falls under the definition of TMI. And getting kicked in the nuts really hard? I wonder how many times John Morris has actually thought about doing that over the years?

In any case, as far as surgeries go, this one isn’t that major and Martin says he’ll be back on the ice in January, in time for the Continental Cup.