TAMPA, Florida (AFP) - Canada's Vincent Lecavalier underwent surgery on his right shoulder Tuesday and will miss the World Ice Hockey Championships next month.

The 27-year-old Lecavalier suffered a dislocated shoulder on April 3 against Washington and missed the Tampa Bay Lightning's final regular season game at Atlanta two days later.

The all-star forward had his glenoid labrum repaired by Dr. James Andrews at St. Vincent's Hospital in Birmingham, Alabama.

Lecavalier was injured when he was checked by Washington's Matt Cooke in the third period of a 4-1 loss.

He will undergo a detailed rehabilitation programme.

Lecavalier finished the season as Tampa Bay's leading scorer with 40 goals and 92 points in 81 games. He represented Canada at the 2006 Turin Winter Games.

Lecavalier's Tampa Bay teammate Martin St. Louis will play at the Worlds for Canada which begins play May 2 against Slovenia.