"All-Star Team" of players who had career cut short

[Diving Pokecheck*]

Rick Martin- Howie Morenz- Mike Bossy
Ace Bailey- Pat Lafontaine- Cam Neely
Normand Leveille- Barry Pedersen- Pavel Bure
Adam Deadmarsh- Michel Briere- Murray Balfour
Vlad Konstantinov- Hod Stuart
Bill Barilko- Barry Ashbee
Allan Davidson- Bad Joe Hall
Pelle Lindberg
Dan Blackburn

Some tragic stories.
Players like Orr, Parent, Lemieux, accomplished more hurt than almost any one else did healthy.

 

[amnesiac*]

Under 1000 career NHL games

Richard-Lemieux-Bossy
Stastny-Forsberg-Bure
Martin-Lafontaine-Neely
Palffy-Lindros-Geoffrion

Orr-Konstantinov

Parent-Lindbergh

 

[GKJ]

Pelle Lindbergh.


He had more than his career cut short

 

[reckoning]

Pierre Mondou: Excellent two-way centre for Montreal had his career ended by a stick to the eye when he was in his prime.

 

[Hockey Outsider]

A few players that haven't been mentioned yet:

G Chuck Gardiner - died at age 30 due to a brain hemmorage just weeks after winning the Stanley Cup. Prior to his death, he was unquestionably the NHL's best goalie in the early 1930s, having been named to each of the previous four year-end all-star teams. His GAA dropped 30% in the playoffs (admittedly based on a small sample size).

RW Allan Davidson - killed in Belgium during WWI at age 24. Finished 8th and 4th in the NHA in scoring during his only two professional seasons. Regarded as a fast, clean, two-way player.

D Hy Buller- languished in the minors for many years. When he finally made the NHL, he was named 3rd-best defenseman in the league (behind only Doug Harvey and Red Kelly). Tough and had great offensive talent, but retired after just three years due to persistent injuries.

D Bryan Berard - he's still playing but he obviously hasn't been the same since his horrific eye injury at age 23. He was one of the league's best PP quarterbacks and had excellent mobility. At worst he was on pace to have a Sergei Gonchar-type career but had tremendous potential.

 

[SoundwaveIsCharisma]

As a forward line I think:

Kevin Stevens - Eric Lindros - Cam Neely

Would have been really, really fun to watch.

 

[VanIslander]

Junior scoring sensation then went of to WWII and took a grenade between his legs, recovered, and went on to start a remarkable NHL career that after the first couple of seasons was severely hampered by a career-stunting collarbone injury he never fully got past.

Howie Meeker

Calder Memorial Trophy (1947)
NHL record for most goals in a game by a rookie: 5
Played in NHL All-Star Game (1947, 1948, 1949)
4-time Stanley Cup Champion ​

He would be a hall of famer AS A PLAYER, not just as a broadcaster he would later become, if it wasn't for injury.

On the All-Time Draft board here at HfBoards Meeker is never picked as among the Top-1000 hockey players of all time.