Rick DiPietro Suffers Another Setback: Should He Call it Quits?

After losing four of their last five games, including a 7-1 thrashing from the Florida Panthers, the Islanders were dealt another blow. Injured star goalie, Rick DiPietro, pulled himself out of a game early into his first start in nearly a year.

DiPietro was taken out after two periods of an AHL minor league hockey game for the Bridgeport Sound Tigers, due to "tightness".

DiPietro has already seen the team doctors, as well as a specialist, but he is looking for a third opinion.

For a man who has already had a career filled with major surgeries, is it worth it to keep playing? He might never be able to walk normally again, or at least, ever be as talented as he once was.

In 2007, DiPietro suffered two concussions within a couple of weeks, and missed significant time. After that season, he had surgery on a torn labrum in his left hip.

In 2008, he had surgery on his other hip, as well as arthroscopic surgery to fix a torn meniscus in his left knee.

And last winter, he was shut down for the season in January, after having played just five games. He also had another surgery on a torn meniscus, and has had extensive problems with both knees and hips.

The Islanders prepared well this off-season, selecting two goalies in the draft, and signing both Dwayne Roloson and Martin Biron to contracts.

However, it's not looking good for DP, as he is commonly known around the Coliseum, to play through his mammoth 15 year, $67.5 million deal.

He is already 28, and if his knees and hips can't hold up when he is in his prime, there isn't much of a chance that they will continue to when he gets older.

Rick DiPietro in his top form would help this Islanders club exponentially, and we can only hope that with added time to heal from his injuries, he can recover and lead the Islanders to the playoffs.

But if not, is it worth it to keep forcing your body through the stuggle of a comeback?