Professional hockey has been a winding road for Wojtek Wolski, who has bounced around the ranks of the OHL, NHL and KHL for years. 

Now, he's facing yet another critical juncture in his career: a broken neck.

The business side of hockey

Wolski began his journey through the NHL in 2004 after standing out in the OHL. Drafted 21st overall by the Colorado Avalanche, Wolski made his NHL debut in 2005, recording a goal and two assists in his first game.

In five years with the Avalanche, Wolski scored 73 goals and 193 points in 302 games before the business side of hockey took over during the 2009-10 season. Although he had a career year in which he scored 23 goals and 65 points, Wolski was traded to the Phoenix Coyotes at the trade deadline.

It wouldn't be the last time.

He was traded twice more in consecutive seasons before heading to his native Poland when the NHL entered a lockout ahead of the 2012-13 season.

After scoring 10 points in nine games with KH Sanok in Poland, Wolski signed a one-year deal with the Washington Capitals when the lockout ended. But an injury held the 26-year-old to just 22 games for the Capitals.

From 2005-13, Wolski appeared in 451 NHL games, where he scored 99 goals and 168 assists for 267 points.

Life after the NHL

Wolski's skill-first style of play made for a strong transition to the KHL. In two seasons with Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod, Wolski recorded 42 goals and 81 points in 106 games.

Following the expiration of his contract, he signed with Metallurg Magnitogorsk and scored 18 goals and 47 points in 54 games before adding another 10 points during the playoffs to help his team capture the 2016 Gagarin Cup.

Unfortunately, the 30-year-old suffered a severe neck injury after a freak collision with the boards last week.

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After being stretchered off of the ice, the team announced his admittance to intensive care. Wolski fractured his seventh and fourth cervical vertebrae, injured his cervical spinal cord, was diagnosed with a concussion and had abrasions to his face.

Wolski took to Twitter to show his appreciation to his friends, fans and family. He spoke to Gino Reda of TSN to explain how he felt lucky that the hit wasn't worse than it could have been.

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He said the doctors expect him to make a full recovery, but he is unlikely to return to Metallurg this season. He has been released from the hospital, and is recovering in his Russian home.