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Toronto Maple Leafs' Joffrey Lupul  realizes what happens the rest of this season is vital – not only personally, but for the team’s entire veteran core.The Canadian Press

There's a pained look on Joffrey Lupul's face when he recounts the details of yet another injury.

How it happened. How he recovered. How excited he is to be back on the ice with the Toronto Maple Leafs.

He's been here too many times before, looking to return to the lineup after some time away. And while some people have been known to harp on him for being injury-prone, no one wants him to stay healthy more than the affable 31-year-old winger himself.

"Physically, I'm sure I could handle another injury, but mentally I don't know if I can right now," Lupul said as he prepared for Wednesday's game in Pittsburgh. "Hopefully I'll stay healthy for a bit."

Lupul's long run of injuries has been well documented, so there's little need to rehash it all here. The bottom line is he has played 160 of 233 possible games over the past four seasons heading into Wednesday's game, missing nearly a third of all regular-season games since joining the Leafs.

That's not his fault: The injuries haven't been to one particular area, and have mostly been the result of bad luck.

That includes his latest ailment – a broken hand that cost him the past 12 games – which happened when he fell in practice and awkwardly used his right hand to cushion the blow.

At first, he thought it was nothing and didn't tell the training staff. The next morning, before a game in Columbus, there was pain and an X-ray was done.

It was bad news, as has often been the case for Lupul over the years.

"That first week or 10 days in particular, it's a pretty low feeling," he said. "It's not a good thing."

With three years remaining on his contract at $5.25-million (U.S.) a season, the Leafs have a decision to make on whether Lupul – an alternate captain – should be in their long-term plans.

When healthy, he has been a considerable part of Toronto's offence. He has averaged 30 goals and 65 points per 82 games, and more than 18 minutes ice time, playing a bigger role with the Leafs than with his previous three teams.

Given he was acquired from the Ducks as a salary dump in 2011 – the Leafs ultimately received a better draft pick in the deal simply because he stayed on the roster the following season – he has certainly exceeded expectations, even with the injuries.

Back then, he was in pain essentially every day because of a serious back injury that nearly ended his career. Playing another month or two, let alone four years, was a huge unknown.

Now, Lupul realizes what happens the rest of this season is vital – not only personally, but for the team's entire veteran core. They know there's new management in place and that changes are coming if they don't deliver.

"When I came here, we were one of the last-place teams in the league," Lupul said. "And we've had our moments. But this feels like, for this group of guys, this is a big year for us. We have to make a step. A year of us not making the playoffs again is not going to be acceptable. For us it's not acceptable. We need to do more this year. We know that."

Making the playoffs is not as far-fetched a goal for the Leafs as it was when Lupul arrived. The team's depth is such that, when he steps back into the lineup against the Penguins, it'll be on the fourth line with fellow returnee David Booth – a boost that will give Toronto four scoring lines for the first time in ages.

Wherever he plays, Lupul hopes to be a difference-maker.

More importantly, he hopes to stay healthy long enough to do so.

"Stuff happens out there," Lupul said. "You saw a play like Roman [Polak] the other day: It looked like a nothing play and then he's down [with a knee injury] and it's four weeks [to recover]. That's just the nature of the game sometimes. It doesn't matter if you're a big strong guy like him – stuff can happen and you go out. It sucks. It's the toughest part of the job."

"It will probably catch up with me at some point in my life," he added. "It would be nice to be able to swing a golf club by the time I'm done playing."

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