NHL: 10 Players Almost Guaranteed to Miss Time Due to Injury in 2011-12

Hockey is a rough, fast-paced and physical game. While the NHL is actively working to keep fighting and late hits to a minimum, players are routinely injured as dirty hits continue to be dished out around the league.

Countless players have had to miss entire seasons due to injury, whether it's post-concussion syndrome or recovery from a taxing surgery. In many cases, such issues have forced players to retire early. 

The NHL is home to some of the toughest, most durable athletes in the world. Still, there is a limit to the amount of physical trauma these players can take before they are rendered unable to compete.

Here are 10 players who have struggled to stay healthy in recent years and will likely continue their struggles this season.   

Joffrey Lupul, Toronto Maple Leafs

A talented goal scorer and former first-round draft pick, Joffrey Lupul suited up for only 54 games last season. The year before, he only managed 23 games for the Anaheim Ducks.

Lupul hasn't played more than 75 games in a season since 2008-09. He will probably play more games this season than last, but it's unlikely he tops 70. 

Ryan Whitney, Edmonton Oilers

Ryan Whitney has been battling injuries for much of his NHL career. The worst of it seemed to have passed, as he played only 48 games in 2008-09 but followed that up with an 81-game season in 2009-10.

However, Whitney was injured again midway through last season and managed only 35 games. There exists a strong possibility that this injury will carry over into the beginning of the season and, even if it doesn't, Whitney has become an injury-prone player. 

Steve Sullivan, Pittsburgh Penguins

At 37 years old, Steve Sullivan has had a long, distinguished career as a prolific scorer with terrific speed. Unfortunately, he has also battled more than his fair share of injuries. His injury concerns began in 2005-06, the year after he joined the Nashville Predators. He suited up for 69 games that season, followed by a 57-game in 2006-07 and only 41 games in 2008-09.

Things were looking up for Sullivan in 2009-10 when he played a full 82-game season for the first time since 2002-03. However, the injury bug struck again last year and he managed only 44 games for the Predators. Now a member of the Pittsburgh Penguins, the aging Sullivan will almost certainly miss significant time this season.  

Brad Stuart, Detroit Red Wings

Drafted third overall by San Jose in 1998, Brad Stuart has played a full 82-game season only three times in his 11-year NHL career. Though he hasn't missed significant time in recent years, he played only 67 games last year for Detroit and tends to miss at least 10 games per season. 

Stuart has a history of minor lower-body injuries that may add up and come back to haunt him during the final few years of his career. At 31 years of age, he's not old but he certainly isn't young. Expect him to be sidelined for at least 15 games this season. 

Marc Savard, Boston Bruins

Marc Savard has demonstrated an ability to be a dominant playmaker and point-per-game player at the NHL level. And he was just that for many years before suffering a concussion as a result of a vicious body check by Matt Cooke in 2009-10 that cut his season in half. 

Sine the hit, Savard has been out of the lineup for all but 25 regular season games due to severe post-concussion syndrome. The talented pivot could see his career cut short as a result, but if he does manage to make a full recovery, it probably won't be this year. 

Matt Lombardi, Toronto Maple Leafs

After signing with Nashville last summer, Matt Lombardi played just two games for the Predators last year before an injury bumped him out of the lineup for the remainder of the season. He has battled injury in the past, as well, as he played just 69 games in 2008-09 and 55 games in 2005-06. 

He was recently dealt to the Toronto Maple Leafs but it is believed that he may not play next season and that Nashville included him in the trade as a salary dump to help them re-sign rearguard Shea Weber.

Andy McDonald, St. Louis Blues

Andy McDonald has been battling through injuries since 2008-09, when he missed 36 games. He was healthy the following year and played 79 games for St. Louis, but was injured much of last year and managed only 58 games. 

The crafty forward probably won't miss too many games this season, but he's a safe bet to sit out 10 to 15 games as his injury history continues to be a concern. 

Marian Gaborik, New York Rangers

A highly talent goal scorer, Gaborik has yet to play a full 82-game season in the NHL as he continues to battle a severe knee injury that has been nagging him for most of his career. He suited up for only 17 games in 2008-09 and followed that up with a promising 79 games the following year before playing in just 62 games last season for New York.

Whether it's close to a full season or just 10 games remains to be seen, but the oft-injured star will spend some time on the injured reserve this year.

Rick DiPietro, New York Islanders

DiPietro hasn't played close to a full season since 2007-08, when he started 63 games for the Islanders. Since then, he has played a combined 39 games over three years, 26 of which came last season.

The former first overall pick is signed to a lucrative long-term contract with New York and appears to be part of their plans moving forward as management remains confident that he can make a full recovery and continue his career in the NHL. At 29 years of age, he still has time to do so, but he'll likely need another year or two before he's able to step in as a starting netminder again.

Ales Hemsky, Edmonton Oilers

A crafty and dynamic winger, Hemsky has spent his entire career with the Oilers and has yet to play a full 82 game season for them. Injuries started to become a serious issue for him in 2006-07, when he managed only 64 games, and became a much bigger concern in 2009-10, when he suited up for just 22 games.

Hemsky played 47 games for Edmonton last year so his worst days may be behind him. Still, he has proven to be a fragile player and it's safe to assume he'll be sidelined by an injury at some point this season.