CBC SPORTS ONLINE - Philadelphia Flyers goaltender Robert Esche underwent successful hip surgery on Monday, and hopes to make his return during this summer's World Cup of Hockey.

Esche had surgery in Pittsburgh to repair a torn labrum in his left hip.

"It went extremely well," said Flyers team physician Dr. Peter DeLuca. "He's going to be 100 per cent when (next season) comes around."Esche, though, has other ideas about his return. The 26-year-old netminder says he intends to play in the World Cup.

"(The doctor) told me that he didn't see the World Cup as even being close to a problem," Esche said. "He thought that I'd reach that deadline with no problem and … that I could be on the ice as early as the middle of July if I continue progressing."

The World Cup of Hockey is scheduled for Aug. 30-Sept. 14. Team USA will begin practicing in late August and will open the tournament against Canada on Aug. 31 at the Bell Centre in Montreal.

Esche is coming off a strong post-season where he backstopped the Flyers to the Eastern Conference finals. He posted an 11-7 mark with one shutout and a 2.32 goals against average for the Flyers, who were eliminated by Tampa Bay in Game 7 of the conference finals.